At PACE Design & Construction, we believe meaningful spaces are shaped by the hands, stories, and materials behind them. The environments we create are enriched when craftsmanship, sustainability, and cultural heritage are woven into the design process.

We recently had the opportunity to speak with Maddalena Forcella, textile artist and co-founder of Madda Studio, a collaborative textile studio based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Her work bridges Italian design sensibility with traditional Mexican artisanal techniques, resulting in textiles that honor lineage while embracing contemporary form.

What follows is a look inside her philosophy, process, and commitment to craft.

The Origins of Madda Studio

Madda Studio was formally established in 2016, but its roots stretch back decades. Maddalena began working in Chiapas in 1995, where she co-founded a nonprofit association and led textile and natural dye workshops. Over time, she built deep relationships with artisans in the region.

When she partnered with sustainable development expert Marie Farneth in 2016, they created a structure that would allow them to continue collaborating with artisans while expanding into partnerships with designers and architects. The goal was clear: build a sustainable business model that preserves traditional craft while engaging contemporary design.

The result is a studio that thoughtfully merges Italian refinement with Mexican artisanal heritage. Each piece carries forward ancient techniques, reimagined through a modern lens.

A Philosophy Rooted in Longevity

At the heart of Madda Studio are four pillars: local economic development, cultural preservation, sustainability, and the pursuit of beauty.

Long-term relationships are foundational to their work. Maddalena has collaborated with some artisans for more than 30 years. That continuity builds trust, confidence, and a shared commitment to excellence. These relationships are not transactional. They are built over time, through shared knowledge and mutual respect.

In a world dominated by mass production and disposability, Madda Studio stands for the enduring quality of handcrafted goods. Their textiles embrace the natural variability of materials and celebrate the individuality that comes from human hands. Each piece reflects a lineage of tradition and honors every artisan who has touched it.

Designing From the Material Up

For Madda Studio, design begins with the material itself.

Each textile starts with hand-spun wool sourced from a local breed of sheep raised in the Highlands of Chiapas. Indigenous Chamula women spin the wool using a pre-Hispanic drop spindle, preserving a technique that has been practiced for generations.

The natural variations in the wool’s color and thickness guide the creative process. Texture, depth, and character emerge organically as the material interacts with refined weaving techniques. Rather than forcing uniformity, the studio allows the inherent qualities of the wool to shape each design.

Color plays an equally important role. Maddalena’s early training in restoration and her deep understanding of color theory inform a dyeing process that is both scientific and intuitive. Natural dyes are layered through multiple baths to achieve complex, nuanced tones that go far beyond the primary hues of individual plants. The untreated wool, rich in lanolin, gives the finished textiles a subtle sheen and remarkable depth.

Sustainability as Practice, Not Trend

Sustainability at Madda Studio is not a marketing narrative. It is embedded in every stage of production.

All materials are sourced from certified local producers or reclaimed from waste streams. The studio collaborates with the nonprofit El Camino de Los Altos in San Cristobal de Las Casas, which brings together 130 women textile artisans. Their skill and craftsmanship are integral to every piece created.

Cochineal for dyeing is sourced from a local farm in Oaxaca. Indigo comes from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Logwood is obtained through Planalto, a reforestation initiative in southern Mexico that protects a species once at risk of disappearing. Even marigolds collected from Día de los Muertos altars are repurposed and transformed into dye, giving the flowers new life beyond celebration.

Equally important is the studio’s commitment to stable employment and fair collaboration. The process of local economic development is gradual, and Madda Studio approaches it step by step, ensuring that artisans’ skills are valued both within their communities and in the international design market.

Collaboration Across Borders

Madda Studio’s work extends beyond Oaxaca through creative partnerships with designers and furniture makers.

One collaboration that deeply resonated with Maddalena was with the Los Angeles–based studio Stahl + Band. Their shared appreciation for craftsmanship resulted in collections where handcrafted textiles complemented meticulously designed furniture. Seeing the first collection installed, with upholstered pieces paired alongside her paintings, was a moment of fulfillment and affirmation of the power of cross-cultural creative dialogue.

These partnerships demonstrate how traditional craft can integrate seamlessly into contemporary interiors, enriching spaces with authenticity and depth.

Looking Ahead

In an increasingly competitive market saturated with mass-produced alternatives, Madda Studio continues to focus on meaningful partnerships and authentic work. As a small, socially driven studio, growth is approached thoughtfully. Each new collaboration is an opportunity to evolve while staying grounded in core values.

For PACE, this philosophy resonates deeply.

When we design and build spaces, we are not simply assembling materials. We are curating experiences. Integrating handcrafted elements like those from Madda Studio brings history, texture, and intention into the built environment. It reminds us that design is not only about aesthetics, but about people, process, and impact.

Craft matters. Relationships matter. And when materials carry a story, the spaces they inhabit feel timeless.