Interviews

Gabriela Cabrera is the President of Manos del Uruguay, a non-profit based in Montevideo that employs hundreds of artisans across the country to create hand-crafted garments and yarns. Established in 1968, the founders built the non-profit to improve the lives of rural women in Uruguay by providing them with steady work and access to education. Structured as a system of 12 cooperatives, the artisans own the organization and maintain deep ties with their respective local communities. A member of the World Fair Trade Organization since 2009, Manos del Uruguay’s high standards for traditional craftsmanship and its commitment to local designs have led to collaborations with high-end brands including Ralph Lauren, Coach, and Marc Jacobs.

Cabrera begins her interview by discussing how she first became involved with Manos del Uruguay as an artisan herself. Born in a rural town named Egaña, she describes being eager to advance her higher education but relates how she could not do so due to financial constraints and the challenging state of Uruguay in the 1970s. Deciding to join Manos del Uruguay, she not only developed her skills and passion for knitting but also encountered opportunities for professional growth. Cabrera proceeded to become a production manager, pursuing training in fields such as accounting which would allow her to rise through the ranks of the organization. Reflecting on her early career, she describes how the non-profit served as her form of university, providing the necessary education while helping build self-confidence and a deep sense of empowerment.

Before proceeding to discuss her leadership roles within the organization, Cabrera reflects on the founding of Manos del Uruguay in 1968. She notes how the five founders – Olga Pardo Santayana de Artagaveytia, Sara Beisso de Souza, Dora Muñoz de Cibils, María del Carmen Bocking and Manila Chaneton de Vivo – recognized an untapped potential from women in rural areas of Uruguay. Many rural women had already been selling handcrafted garments but lacked the market that would allow them to generate enough income for their families. To provide consistent employment, the founders set up a cooperative model that enhanced product quality and created a structured leadership framework. While acknowledging challenges stemming from the cooperative model, Cabrera emphasizes its importance as the organization consistently prioritized the employment and training of its artisans above profit.

During the 1970s and 1980s, Manos del Uruguay grew by diversifying its products and embracing technological innovations such as the introduction of manual knitting machines. Recognizing the potential of foreign exports, the non-profit gradually expanded its international trade operations starting with sales to the United States and Germany. As Cabrera emphasizes, this required a delicate balance between efficiency and the retention of artisanal handwork which remains at the core of Manos del Uruguay. Over this same period, funding was also secured from projects sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank and the Inter-American Foundation. While expanding operations, the non-profit’s focus remained on the needs of artisans. This led to the development of projects in collaboration with the United Nations such as the Center for the Attention of Children and Families – a network of childcare centers that has served as a model for others in Uruguay.

Cabrera proceeds by explaining how Manos del Uruguay reached a crossroads in the 1990s, as the non-profit found itself with a significant amount of debt. To address this issue, they sought to bolster sales and change their marketing strategies both locally and internationally. With the hiring of a new general manager, the non-profit engaged younger customers with innovative products featuring new colors, yarns, and designs. The innovative approach resonated with customers and proved to be a success. Nevertheless, Cabrera underscores that “preserving our identity as artisans throughout this process was absolutely essential.” She also explains how the non-profit closely monitored every stage of production from the wool mills to final garment creation, ensuring handcrafted quality because it defines the identity of Manos del Uruguay.

To conclude the interview, Cabrera discusses a shift that has occurred in the fashion industry towards “sustainable luxury” and “responsible consumption” – two themes that she explains have been central to Manos del Uruguay since it started. For example, she relates how the non-profit did not have to make any significant changes to its processes to obtain recognitions such as Fair-Trade certification. Furthermore, Cabrera emphasizes the importance of preserving artisanal knowledge and skillsets belonging to the cultures of local communities. Describing how artisans with Manos del Uruguay hand traditions down from one generation to the next, she expresses pride that the non-profit has remained driven by its core mission to support the education, livelihoods, and empowerment of rural women throughout the country.

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