NI EN MORE

By Tessa Stetter

In the studio of Ni En More, photo by Tessa Stetter

Ni en more is a social project, founded in 2016 in the northern Mexican border town Ciudad Juárez, by Janette Terrazas and Lise Bjorne Linnert. Both are textile artists and dedicate their work to raise awareness for femicides, especially in Mexico. The name “NI EN MORE” is a combination of three languages, Spanish, Norwegian and English, with the meaning “Not one more.”

Ni en more is a non-profit, focusing on supporting women who are living in vulnerable conditions. Many of these women live in the suburbs of Ciudad Juárez. These areas are a breeding ground for organized crime which makes it even more dangerous for women. Many femicides are perpetrated by organized crime or ex-partners of women who are often members of the cartels, as these men have easy access to weapons. Most of them also grew up with a lot of violence and with the traditional picture of a “macho” who is, in their mind, superior to every woman. The living conditions of these women creates a high risk of becoming a victim of domestic violence or femicide.

Ni en more empowers women and gives them financial independence. The women in the studio are earning fair wages for their work which shows an appreciation of the time and effort they are investing into the products of Ni en more. The studio of Ni en more, in Ciudad Juárez provides a safe space for these women. Only women work in the studio and thus are void of the machismo culture which is interwoven in Mexican society. Women have the chance to express themselves freely and learn new skills.

Natural dye equipment, photo by Tessa Stetter

Ni en more provides all participants with sewing and pattern making classes. Maritza Uscanga Soto, a fashion designer from Ciudad Juárez, teaches every woman how to create patterns, cut the fabric, learn sewing skills and how to improve patterns after fittings. With these skills every woman is able to sew the Ni en more garments or even create new patterns if they desire. The garments are being sold through an online shop as well as in several shops in Mexico and Norway.

Besides the clothing making skills every woman also learns how to naturally dye garments. At Ni en more they use dye baths or bundle dyes to print the textiles. They create dye baths from cochineal, Peruvian root or creosote bushes, a local plant which grows in the desert area of Juárez. With the bundle dye method, they can create different patterns on each garment. For the bundle dyeing Ni en more receives donations from local flower shops from faded or almost faded flowers, mostly roses.

As Ni en more operates as a non-profit, all income which is made goes directly into the wages of the women and other operating costs such as studio equipment and materials. As a non-profit organization Ni en more relies heavily on support from the government, grants and donations. Donations can be made via their website: https://nienmore.org/

Bio: Tessa Stetter is an organic and natural fabric dyer and fashion designer based in Flensburg, Germany. Playing with different colours and patterns has always been the core of her creative practice. Since 2021, she has focused on natural dyeing through research and countless colour experiments, developing new knowledge fueled by curiosity for plants and colours. She launched her own label as a vessel to share this passion and knowledge in workshops on natural dyes, offered in English, German or Spanish. Get in touch with her through tessastetter.com or book your natural dye workshop.