Producers of spheres in Chignahuapan, Puebla, they arrive this Christmas to the homes of thousands of people, who admire the craftsmanship with which they make these delicate blown glass ornaments that are sold not only in the country, but also internationally; It is a magical town with worldwide recognition, he said Yahir Armando Herrera, general manager of Tinker Bell Spheres.
The Herrera Olvera family She is a businesswoman from this area of Puebla and, Yahir, who has carried on the legacy of her parents, Evodio Herrera y Erminda Olveraworldwide.
In addition, he promoted the municipality to be recognized beyond the borders, since on December 12 it received the certification of geographical indication, through the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), due to its tradition and quality, a tool to be located anywhere in the world for the marketing of its products, since in more than 430 factories and family workshops, nearly 100 million spheres are made each year.
“My parents started the company in 1999, as a craft store and later they transformed it into a small workshop. It was not until years later that it was registered under the name Tinker Bell Spheres, in honor of the first granddaughter in the family; We are already two generations,” he expressed.
UNIQUE JOBS
Herrera Olvera said that when he was 12 years old, he began to help his parents; When he finished his degree in business administration, he managed to give it a touch of commerce. Emphasizing that they are not artisans, but artists who innovate with creations in blown material.
He 32-year-old businessman specified that each piece is unique. “Something that characterizes us, compared to other producers in the entity, is that we have high quality materials, in addition to the fact that we try to innovate in our designs made entirely by hand; in fact, no two models are the same.”
Currently, they have more than ten thousand different designsbecause every year they release 20 to 30 different models.
“We are a team made up of plant workers and some who join depending on the season of the year. From February to June we have 35 employeesbecause it is low season; By the end of July to December we are already 65because that is when production is in high demand,” he commented.
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INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPATION
Yahir Herrera He explained that in 1999 they sold around five thousand pieces of traditional models. This 2024, they estimate that there will be close to a million pieces, for the holiday season.
“We envision participating in international fairs in Europe and the United States, in addition to promoting online sales,” he added.
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Furthermore, he said that with the certification obtained, Chignahuapan It can now offer international brands and reach other countries.
“Christmas of “Puebla in the Vatican”
In 2019, the state government launched the call to participate in the event “Christmas of “Puebla in the Vatican”as part of an annual invitation for a state of the Mexican Republic to get involved in the State’s holiday festivities, and decorate with crafts from various communities.
The pandemic suspended the initiative, but it was resumed in 2021, and the state managed to carry out The Vatican about 400 craftsmade in 15 municipalities, to decorate Christmas trees, as well as the births of children. Vatican Museums and the Paul VI classroom.
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Amate paper embroidered in bright colors, hand-woven palm spheres, traditional cloth dolls dressed in typical costumes, spheres of Chignahuapan, talavera and blown glass, was something that the Puebla entity offered.
The Herrera Olvera company participated with a metal structure in the shape of a silhouette of the Virgin of Guadalupewhich is a replica of a piece that adorns the Cathedral of San Pedro.
He commented that “the The original was carried in 2010, which had only nine spheres representing the nine water eyes of Chignahuapan, as an offering, in conjunction with the municipal government and the office of the pontiffs was also decorated,” he concluded.
Future of tradition
Regarding a possible impact of smuggling of small spheres, he said: “We have not had an impact in relation to Chinese merchandise, since everything here is handmade and when you buy something from that origin, it is more disposable; Although it has affected us in other products that we sell, because sometimes they have let people come because they have already purchased imported decorations, but in the end we try to be innovative.”