CosmicMaya – Hemp for People, Planet, and the Future
Hemp is an incredibly durable, versatile plant with many uses and benefits. That’s why Cesi Ortiz created CosmicMaya, an eco-friendly brand that redefines the fashion industry through sustainable, slow fashion, uplifting native communities working with hemp, and healing the environment.
She accomplishes this mission by selling handmade hemp wallets and different styles of hemp bags and products. These hemp products not only support sustainability, but they also support the Indigenous women who made them.
Ortiz shared that her focus is to let people know that they are the purchasing power to our collective environmental issues inspired her to create CosmicMaya.
“I was inspired by women like my mother, as well as the children, their future, our earth’s environmental issues, and corporate inequality,” she said. “I wanted to help people realize that in a capitalistic society, the power of our purchases and what we purchase literally has the power to create or destroy our future.”
How CosmicMaya is Bringing the Power Back to the People to Create a Better World
Cosmic Maya is an eco-fashion brand created by indigenous women dedicated to addressing environmental issues through sustainable hemp fashion.
“Our mission is to contribute to the healing of our planet, ensuring a healthier earth for present and future generations,” Ortiz said. “We’re trying to reverse climate issues, bring power back to the people through conscious purchase, uplifting native communities, and redefining fashion that benefits the people, planet, and the future of the next generation.”
CosmicMaya Products
Focusing on hemp textiles and handmade goods, CosmicMaya sells handmade hemp wallets and hemp bags in different styles and designs. Her goal is to sell more products made from hemp.
While not currently made of hemp, Ortiz sells printed cotton tapestries, handmade shawls, wool ponchos, and boho 70s-style floral pants. She said she is also looking into how these items can be produced with hemp.
CosmicMaya also sells other accessories and items for use as energy healing tools. These include abalone sea shells with stands for smudging, a native practice, and tongue drums, a handmade percussion instrument. She also offers crystals and jewelry.
“We sell handmade earrings from Nepal, Mexico, and Ecuador, as well as local Latinx women, and handmade red string protection evil eye with crystals or hamsa hand bracelets,” Ortiz said. “We also sell selenite crystal astrology wheels, which can be used as drink coasters to purify water or to clean your crystals.”
Like the earrings and other items, CosmicMaya’s products are produced by native women in different countries who work in their native communities with other artisans.
“We are trying to work with native locals who’ve also been working with hemp for generations,” Ortiz said.
The Impact of CosmicMaya’s Products on The Community and the World
Ortiz also shared how her business and product line impact people.
“First, know the good that you’re contributing to a positive change. Hemp is very healing to the body and our energetic frequency. And, hemp could rapidly address our climate issues with its many benefits,” she said. “Secondly, it’s eco-friendly fashion, one of the solutions we need to address in the climate crisis. Hemp is a realistic and practical solution to a global issue. It can redefine fashion and revolutionize the fashion industry towards sustainable choices, which at this moment are quite limited now.”
In addition, CosmicMaya encourages solidarity between people and different cultures by honoring the native women who make the products and connecting their work with people looking for positive change.
“Our pieces are all focused on and aligned with healing ourselves and our planet,” Ortiz said. “We center on the truth that people shape our world through what we buy, that corporations are POSSIBLE because of the people, their labor, money and natures resources so It truly is- the people, will heal our planet.”
Why Hemp?
Benefits of Hemp for CosmicMaya and Fashion in General
Ortiz shared some of the benefits of hemp and why she focuses her products around this specific material.
“For one, the use of hemp reduces exposure to toxic chemicals found in plastic and cuts down on fast-fashion consumption. Most clothes today is made of polyester, which is plastic. Hemp also reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in our landfills and oceans,” Ortiz said. “And hemp protects your skin by naturally filtering UV light, resists bacterial growth, and breathes excellently, preventing odors.”
According to WAMA Underwear, an ethical hemp underwear brand, hemp was rated as the best fabric for sun protection, receiving first place in a third-party service run test of different textiles’ ability to block UVA and UVB. It rated higher than synthetic fabrics like nylon and polyester in second place, and denim and wool in third place.
“…Hemp tested as 99.9% effective against blocking both UVA and UVB rays. This officially makes it a UPF 50 fabric and the results remained the same when the fabric was wet,” WAMA reported on the 2021 findings from SGS.
Ortiz also stated that hemp uses only 10% of the water that cotton does, adding to the list of reasons why it’s her preferred fabric in her mission to help the environment.
Other Ways Hemp Helps the Environment
Versatility
An extremely versatile plant, hemp is useful in every part, from the seeds to the fibers. It can be used for all types of clothing, bedding, other textiles, shoes, building materials, fuel, and even food.
According to the National Hemp Association (NHA), “Hemp can grow nearly anywhere in the world, in many types of soil — even in short growing seasons or in dry regions — and helps purify soil as well as kills some types of weeds… [And it] can grow without pesticides.”
Hemp is also said to be the strongest plant fiber in the world, meaning that its products, such as rope, textiles, and paper, are more robust and longer-lasting than alternative materials. The history and criminalization of hemp and its cousin, cannabis, are actually tied to paper production.
American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician William Randolf Hearst invested in paper mills, which he used to produce his newsprint. Feeling hemp threatened his investments, he bribed politicians to ban the plant. He used racism and fearmongering through sensationalized stories in his newspapers to demonize both hemp and marijuana. With the help of Henry Anslinger, the former Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Hearst was fundamental in making both plants illegal in 1937.
Carbon Sink Crop
Hemp also acts as a carbon sink – anything that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases. Researchers at the University of York and Biorenewables Development Centre conducted a study for their Hemp-30 Initiative to increase industrial hemp production and processing in the UK.
The report states, “The fast annual growth of industrial hemp allows the crop to sequester up to 22 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare each year—more than any other crop or woodland.”
While a hectare of trees might absorb up to the same amount of carbon dioxide each year, it takes up more space as trees mature over several decades. In contrast, a hemp crop can grow from seed to harvest in four to six months. With the potential for two or three crops per year, a hectare of hemp can yield far more biomass than a hectare of trees over time.
Reduction of Deforestation
Because of its strength and versatility, hemp has the potential to reduce deforestation in specific industries like paper production. According to the National Hemp Association, “One acre of hemp produces twice as much oil as one acre of peanuts, and nearly four times as much fiber pulp (for paper) as an acre of trees.”
Moreover, the NHA states, “Hemp paper is stronger than wood-based paper and can withstand more folding… Hemp paper hundreds of years old (found in museums) has not yellowed, and is thus a high-quality paper of archival quality.”
Hemp can also be combined with limestone to create a concrete-like building material called hempcrete. According to the 2021 report by the University of York and BDC, “Hempcrete and hemp insulation batts can be used to decarbonize construction, insulate homes and create healthy, natural living and working environments that are carbon negative through developing a sustainable supply of hemp.”
With a diverse range of ecosystems in which hemp can grow and a fast growth rate and high yield, hemp grows on smaller land areas in less time than many other crops. Replacing materials made from trees with materials made from hemp would drastically reduce deforestation.
Reduce Plastic Usage
In addition, hemp can create materials like biocomposites and bioplastics. Since hemp degrades in about six months, it’s a perfect candidate to replace plastic, which degrades into microplastics over hundreds of years. Hemp can also be continuously recycled, whereas regular plastic loses quality with each recycling.
From water bottles and pens to culinary utensils and car parts, hemp-made plastics can replace various other plastic goods. And since plastic is often made from fossil fuels like coal and oil, replacing it with hemp also reduces the use of fossil fuels.
Raising Environmental Awareness
As more people make eco-conscious decisions about different aspects of their lives and consumption, hemp is key to that movement.
“Hemp fashion can bring environmental awareness. People feel empowered to know that things can get better for our future and that they can make a difference in that,” Ortiz said. “It brings hope to our collective environmental issues because it’s a realistic solution to start addressing the climate crisis at a rapid pace.”
Other Benefits of Hemp
Hemp is also known to rejuvenate and regenerate soil and decontaminate it.
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, hemp shows a high tolerance to heavy metals in soil. The NCBI reported that “Industrial hemp can often take up metals and store them in different parts of the plant, with no detriment to the plant itself. When employed for phytoremediation purposes, toxins can accumulate in the roots, leaves, and stalks. Therefore, the leaves are not harvested for food or used for personal care; however, the stalks can be utilized for building materials, paper, cloth, and biofuel.”
In addition to absorbing heavy metals, hemp has also demonstrated an ability to phytoremediation oil spills and even radiation.
Per the NCBI, “Hemp is used to clean up metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and toxins. Hemp harvested from remediation sites can be safely distilled into ethanol for use as a biofuel.”
With all of hemp’s positive benefits, including its high absorption of CO2 and ability to incorporate CO2 back into the soil through biosequestration, hemp is considered carbon-negative.
All of this adds to the argument that hemp can and should be industrialized to address a wide range of climate issues and other environmental issues.
How People Can Support the Use of Hemp
As an individual, there are a few ways to support the hemp movement. In addition to swapping out products like clothing, paper, and building materials with hemp alternatives, people can also learn more about the plant and its uses. From there, talking about its benefits with others and encouraging its use helps further the conversation to implement it in more industries at higher scales.
Moreover, hemp has seen a resurgence in recent decades, with the loosening of legal restrictions on the crop worldwide. According to CBD World News, the top five hemp producers in 2020 were China, Canada, the United States, France, and Chile.
After being legalized again through the 2018 Farm Bill in America, hemp quickly became a cash crop, placing the country in the top five producers. As part of the bill, industrialized hemp is legal to grow in all 50 states. However, there are still serious restrictions on hemp cultivation, and it is only legal for eligible producers who grow in accordance with USDA, state, and tribal plans or for research purposes.
This means you can’t grow your own hemp in your backyard at this time, unfortunately. But, people can advocate for hemp to be allowed to be grown for personal use outside of an industrialized setting without requiring licensing.
In other countries where the laws vary, people harvest hemp in other ways. In places like Nepal, where hemp is native, it is still illegal to consume, cultivate, or trade hemp. However, it’s not illegal to use or harvest wild-grown hemp.
“Some of the women are harvesting their own hemp and then producing the fibers and then making the bags,” Ortiz said about the hemp products she sells through CosmicMaya. “Every step is by hand.”
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Coming Up With a Name
Ortiz started developing CosmicMaya in March 2022 while she was pregnant.
“I had no name for the business at that time, but I’m proud of my roots, my vision and faith that I could nourish this vision to life that hemp products can help our environmental issues,” she said. Eventually, she decided on an homage to her mother and their roots.
“My parents are civil war refugees and have been strong to push through life,” Ortiz explained. “Our roots are Mayan, and we’re known for what you call a ‘cosmovision.’ This is where a vision is brought to life through you; we are the channel of co-creation by understanding that we are all interconnected: Mother nature, the planets, and us energetic beings—all parts of the great consciousness web, The Ceiba, also known as the tree of life.”
The Challenge of Starting a Business
Ortiz shared that she faced several challenges with starting CosmicMaya, both personal and external. Creating a business while pregnant is hard enough–it’s even more challenging once the baby comes.
“Managing a newborn while starting a business from the ground up, I ended up taking seven months off for my baby,” she said. “I returned to the community in 2023 and am going strong despite the challenges.”
Additionally, she said that when people can’t see your vision, you must be very clear on the vision you have and know its possible even when others don’t see it.
“I think that when people don’t believe in you, stay silent, keep believing in yourself that much more because the vision or purpose must be seen through one step at a time. Build behind the scenes and eventually it will show on its own, she said.
And lastly, an external challenge she faced involved the fact that many people don’t understand the benefits of hemp or the environmental issues we face.
“People haven’t been made aware or educated on the benefits of hemp, and they don’t understand the depth of the issues we face that hemp could be a solution for,” Ortiz explained.
Ortiz’s Goals for the Future
Ortiz has big plans for CosmicMaya as she looks towards the future.
“I’m going to take CosmicMaya global and establish our own retail locations,” she said, looking at the big picture. “I’m currently building new partnerships with small businesses to set up retail locations in Vegas.”
The end of 2024 fall fashion season, Ortiz is focusing on introducing hemp clothing to her product line, evolving into other daily products moving forward. As for her dream of the future with hemp in general, Ortiz said she wants to incorporate hemp products into every possible area of life.
She said, “I’d love everything to be made of hemp, from bed sheets to baby clothes.”
CosmicMaya also looks forward to starting educational events soon to teach people about hemp’s benefits.
Takeaways and Lessons
Since starting CosmicMaya, Ortiz has gained and learned much. When asked about her favorite parts of her work, she said the most significant thing is the people.
“The idea that we can help others and give back to Mother Earth brings humanity together for a great cause,” she said. “And it has meaning beyond myself. There is the purpose of knowing that we are the ones who create our world, and I love being personally and actively involved in that change. That makes me feel like I can help leave our children a sustainable future.”
Regarding the lessons she’s learned, Ortiz highlighted the importance of purpose, our shared humanity, and taking responsibility for taking action on our humanistic principles.
“If you want to create something, it’s going to take a lot of work, but you will grow with it in the process,” she said. “I learned to challenge my own mindset to expand beyond my comfort zone, step into the unknown, and meet my human and soul’s strength.”
CosmisMaya in the Community
CosmicMaya supports Indigenous women worldwide and works with the local community by partnering with local organizations and environmentally conscious businesses in Vegas. Ortiz will be looking to partner with grassroots organizations that align with helping the community in various ways in the near future.
CosmicMaya also started selling solid black hemp bags at Town Square’s Down 2 Earth plant-based vegan restaurant in May 2024. Ortiz said this promotion aligns with the restaurant’s #NoBlonesNoBlood campaign, which supports veganism, what food we put in our bodies, saving animals from cruelty, and supporting the environment.
“We have also added another partner recently: Original Thought by Uhmeesa Love. She makes handmade Indigenous Aboriginal jewelry with jute string–another eco-friendly fiber,” Ortiz said. “Her pieces will be available on our website soon.”
In addition, CosmicMaya just became the environmental ambassador in collaboration with ‘RAOW RAOW Collective – Every Day is Earth Day,’ which will be posted on the Nothing To Do LV website. Stay tuned for updates on this collaboration and the details of Cosmic Maya’s first clean-up event at Nelson’s Landing on September 12!
“We have new partnerships in the works, which we’ll update on our website and IG page,” she added.
#GetinMotion With CosmicMaya
CosmicMaya is revolutionizing the fashion industry through the power of hemp. To join the movement, there are several ways to support the business!
To purchase products from CosmicMaya, visit their website, Instagram, and TikTok. Visit one of their retail partners to get your hand-made hemp products. CosmicMaya is currently available at the following physical locations:
Down2earth Plant-Based Cuisine inside of Town Square
Town Square, 6599 Las Vegas Blvd S B-209, Las Vegas, NV 89119
Tacotarian Vegan Restaurant – Downtown Location
1130 S Casino Center Blvd #170, Las Vegas, NV 89104
The Alchemical Cabinet inside of Container Park, 2nd floor (Carries hemp bags and wallets)
707 E Fremont St STE 2310, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Vibe 99.7 Radio Station Headquarters
iPhone Doctor Cellphone Store
4512 E Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104
In addition to buying hemp products from CosmicMaya, share their posts and products with friends and family or even recommend vending opportunities, retail, or consignment partnerships to get CosmicMaya into more stores. You can also contact CosmicMaya via DM if you have questions or requests, or visit CosmicMaya at vending in the community at events like First Friday.
Ortiz recently vended at the Loverz Affair – La Raza 4 Gaza, event hosted by FSP and Nevadans for Palestinian Liberation on February 25 and Earth Day with the City of Las Vegas, NothingTodoLV, and Raow Raow Collective on April 20.
You can also read the LA-based Harness Online magazine’s April 12th article on Cesi’s upbringing and her determination to overcome obstacles and live her dreams. Ortiz also said people can invite her to speak at events to raise awareness about hemp, learn more about hemp, and incorporate hemp products into their lives in other ways.
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