Fernando Laposse on Craft as Rural Regeneration in Tonahuixtla

Mexican designer Fernando Laposse, in an interview with designboom, discusses his practice rooted in agriculture and community regeneration in Tonahuixtla, Mexico. His projects Totomoxtle and agave fiber works transform corn husks and agave leaves into design materials, creating micro-economies that preserve heritage seeds and restore eroded land. Laposse rejects scaling beyond one town to maintain fair wages and personal relationships. He redefines craft in Latin America, moving it away from associations with poverty, and treats the community as the primary client. His collaboration involves financing farming costs before harvest. Works like 'The Good Shepherd' with Kvadrat use mechanical fastenings for recyclability. Laposse advocates for a future of small, traceable initiatives over mass production.