Purhení

The products produced currently are time consuming because of needed drying time. They are not well marketed. This causes decreasing sales and the technique to disappear. We want to save it, create local jobs and see an unexpected market opportunity for a start up: religious products.
We are building a cooperation with the present producers; a trade company to market and sell and invest to streamline the production process and communicate about the value of the technique. Product development will remodel the present products into 3 categories: reliefs (small & simple), boxes with rosaries (design product) and statues and nacimientos (larger size products).
In year one, cash flow is generated through local sales and from selling knowledge about the technique, using its material qualities of lightness, organic sustainability and strength. It offers great qualities for self decomposing packaging material.
The biggest limitation in the start is producing enough to satisfy demand. We expect to deliver 240 of the largest products or a multiple of this of the smaller products dependant of the follow-up orders. We expect to sell our complete production in the first year.
In year 2 we expect to sell our complete production, while we increase it by 85% through increasing the number of craftsmen with 75% to 35 workers and the individual production for the group of experienced craftsmen with 15% per person. In year 3 we expect a similar growth based on the same effects.
Our consumers are inhabitants of Michoacán and Mexico City, American (religious) tourists (in summer and around Christmas), and wholesalers. A 35 million customer market, of which 7 million are ‘hot prospects’ (qualifying the selling criteria: sufficient spending power, celebrating religious events for which they buy products and close towards our distribution channels). Our products will convince them because they distinguish themselves through their handmade properties, the ‘Latin way of life’ with its intense way of celebrating (religious) events and rituals, the uniqueness of the technique and the fair trade production.

The products will be branded with a Tzatzingueni label. This brand will make the story behind the products prominent, positioning it as an exclusive object of adoration, desire or care, hand produced in a sustainable process, justifying a matching price level.
Tzatzingueni brand promotion will be based on local contact through existing retail stores for religious products. Sampling will take place in special events like December 12: Dia de la Virgen de Guadalupe, or in-house sales in churches or convents, with extra attention to the fair trade aspects. Distinguishing in this market will be the use of attractive or striking shop displays and focus on advertising and free publicity in lifestyle magazines for women, Catholics and publications for tourists. The internet adds an effective marketing and sales channel. Our website supports other publicity by showing photos of our products and creates awareness of our concept by providing background information. An on-line order function enables sales after people have left the shop.
The products are light and it is cost effective to ship them (by air). The market will therefore be widened later to Spain (religious gift shops) and the Netherlands (non religious interior shops and galleries that sell international high end craft products) for customers appreciating a story behind products.
The Tzatzingueni products have to compete with others from plaster, made in Mexico and cheap copies made in Mexico and China. But the historical content and materials used in our production make them unique pieces full of identity.
The Grupo de Artesanos ‘Donde Florece la Cultura A.C.’ is our partner. This organization has 14 women actively learning and working with the technique. They work to promote the technique by participating in craft contests.
The Grupo de Artesanos ‘Tzatzingueni’ have been doing research into the technique. They make images according to the technique described in historic sources.
Both organizations bring in their knowledge and expertise in the technique, they know the history and legends behind and they see the potential of it.
We already financed the first € 10.000,- into research, product development and contract building in Mexico and will invest another € 10.000,- into year with help of a micro loan or an investor/sponsor. We invested around 200 hours already and will put another 200 in there.

The impact of the plan is strong in many perspectives:
Local employment in Michoacán will grow from the present, unprofitable workshop with 14 women towards 35-50 well paid employees in year 3.
We expect the indirect impact on employment to be much larger (up to +250 in year 5) because of the spin off effects. The same technique will be used for very different products, using a license fee for use of the technique and requirements to exploit it only in local cooperatives or similar companies. The lightness and strength of the material, in combination with the sustainable character and the cultural heritage will provide for different purposes in the future.
This raises local average income directly (est. +15% in year 3 up to +25% in year 6), but especially indirectly by keeping these communities alive and stopping the outflow of labour and knowledge towards illegal immigration into the USA.
The positive impact of sustainable agriculture of a ‘bio-product’, the maíz criollo, is stopping the need for genetically manipulated maize. Local farmers have been working intensely with local NGO’s to preserve the organic bio-growth of wild maize in their communities. Having the opportunity to also grow this plant for material purposes will add a new cycle to their crops with income opportunities
These developments improve the standard of living dramatically in at least 3-4 communities in the coming 4-5 years. Local farmers will have extra income by selling the dried maize stems to these local production facilities. Other people will find temporary jobs drying, peeling and packaging the stems in a seasonal pattern.
We also value the preservation of different indigenous techniques and the cultural heritage they imply. For the selfesteem of the people in Michoacán, this seems to be a condition for working positively towards the future. This impact will be felt over the coming 10-15 years, as the cultural heritage of Michoacán, and the value it has for our society will not be only saved in museums, but also kept alive in this new industry.