Meet Angela Lizbeth Yescas Garcia, founder of Bee Staz, a brand dedicated to uplifting San Melchor Betaza, Oaxaca, through their stories and textiles.
Bee Staz means sleeping air, another homage to their community of Betaza, which is known as the place where the wind blows in Zapotec. Betaza is in the northern Sierra of Oaxaca and has a population of about 800 people.
Lizbeth started Bee Staz in 2018 after seeing the unethical practices among artisanal clothing within her community. She would frequently hear about the low costs at which the traditional clothing pieces from Betaza were being purchased, only to find out that it was being resold at a much higher price point. This left those in her community with little to nothing compared to the buyers' profits. So, she decided to move back home and take matters into her own hands.
Currently, Bee Staz is made up of 25 artisans from the local community. For their designs, they find inspiration from their surroundings, including what they see, hear, and even smell. Due to the traditional methods of how the clothing is made, they lean on the teachings of their ancestors.
The clothing from the brand Bee Staz is traditional, and oftentimes you'll learn that their designs are made up of motifs from their community. For example, the rhombus design on their huipil is known as a butterfly stitch and represents dawn. Their beautiful clothing symbolism is yet another unique quality that makes their designs special. Every garment has a tag that includes the name of the maker, and under this collective space, they have managed to grow steadily.
We are proud to work with Bee Staz! It is an incredible opportunity for us to help make positive change, and our goal is to highlight brands where your purchase can make the most significant difference. Their goal is to expand so they can continue to provide a way to support themselves and those in their community. So if you're looking for a traditional textile rich with history and culture, Bee Staz garments are for you. We are hopeful about our work with them and can't wait to see their growth in the future.
