What Hacer Común does

Hacer Común is a private social enterprise and inclusive design center founded in 2018 by Eduardo Barrita in Zimatlán de Álvarez, Oaxaca, Mexico. The organization co-creates handcrafted everyday objects with local artisans across two craft traditions — woodturning and woodworking in Zimatlán de Álvarez and palm weaving in San Andrés Zabache — producing wooden tableware, kitchen utensils, serving trays, chopstick rests, and ornamental pieces under the "Time Sensitive Objects" brand, made from local hardwoods (mahogany, aile, huanacaxtle) with natural oil finishes. A small portfolio of special collaboration collections extends the product line into adjacent use cases, including the Vvorkroom-co-designed Cuna de Piedra chocolate grinder line, the Café Café foodservice tableware set, and the Kintaró Ramen-Ya restaurant collection. A team of four master artisans (notably a 74-year-old woodturner described as the community's only practitioner) anchors production capacity alongside three federally subsidized apprentices from the Jóvenes construyendo su futuro program.

The business model is a hybrid of low-volume craft sales and philanthropic support. Commercial revenue is generated through direct sales (email and phone inquiries), a physical Oaxaca retail showroom via partner Casa Itaa, and international distribution through The Nopo Market global online marketplace. The organization also accepts USD and MXN donations, including monthly recurring contributions, and benefits from pro bono support across branding (Vvorkroom), web development (Ecocity Builders), and program design (Volar en V). Beyond commerce, the company runs community programs — Preserving Tradition craft workshops, Creativity and Design workshops, Integral Health courses, a Common Library, and a Common Workshop fabrication space — and operates a Social BNB community-immersion stay program for travelers.

Go-to-market relies heavily on partner referrals, curated brand collaborations with restaurants and lifestyle brands, and selective international marketplace exposure. Strategic positioning is reinforced through participation in global networks: Hacer Común is a co-founder of OpenIDEO Chapter Oaxaca (2018), a British Council Active Citizens facilitator (2020), and a YLAI alumnus through founder Eduardo Barrita. The organization operates from a single community center in Zimatlán de Álvarez with 1–10 staff and no disclosed external funding, making it operationally small but well-credentialed within the design-for-social-impact ecosystem.

Name

Hacer Común

Legal name

Hacer Común

Website

https://hacercomun.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hacer Común is a private social enterprise and inclusive design center in Oaxaca, Mexico, that co-creates handcrafted wooden and palm-woven everyday objects with local master artisans while running community craft-preservation, design education, and youth training programs supported by donations and brand collaborations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Artisan Handcrafted Goods

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

General Arts & Crafts Supplies Retail (CRALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Arts, Crafts & DIY Hobby Supplies Distribution (CRAOAMAE)

Keywords

• Inclusive design center
• Artisan woodworking products
• Social impact crafts
• Traditional craft preservation
• Community design workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Zimatlán de Álvarez

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Hacer Común is an inclusive design center and social impact project in Zimatlán de Álvarez, Oaxaca that co-creates handcrafted everyday objects (wooden tableware, kitchen utensils, chopstick rests, trays, ornamental pieces) with local artisans using traditional woodworking, wood-turning, and palm-weaving techniques. Beyond artisan products sold under the "Time Sensitive Objects" line and special collaborations, the center runs community programs including craft preservation workshops, creativity and design workshops, an integral health program, a common design library, a common workshop space, and a Social BNB community-immersion program.

Product overview

Hacer Común operates as an inclusive design center offering handcrafted everyday objects through its 'Time Sensitive Objects' product line, which includes wooden tableware, kitchen utensils, and decorative pieces created by local artisans. The portfolio includes special collaboration collections with brands such as Cuna de Piedra, Café Café, and Kintaró. Alongside these products, the organization provides community programs including the Preserving Tradition craft workshops (woodworking and palm weaving), Creativity and Design workshops, Integral Health programs, and a Common Library for design education. Extended programs include the Common Workshop (fabrication space with woodworking, glass, and printing tools) and Social BNB (community immersion stays). The company also functions as a training center under Mexico's 'Young People Building Their Future' federal program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Time Sensitive Objects (Objetos Sensibles al Tiempo)

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Active Citizens (British Council)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Hacer Común is part of the global facilitators of the Active Citizens methodology, a social leadership training program promoted by the British Council and Fundación Azteca that promotes intercultural dialogue and community-led social development.
• OpenIDEO Chapter OaxacacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Hacer Común is a co-founder and member of the OpenIDEO Oaxaca Chapter, which promotes and strengthens innovative projects based on design, creativity, and collaboration. OpenIDEO is a global community that creates solutions to difficult world problems driven by design thinking.
• VvorkroomflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerVvorkroom selected Hacer Común for their pro bono program to develop branding strategy for the brand. They collaborated on design and production of the Cuna de Piedra chocolate grinder project.
• Ecocity BuildersminorOthersEcocity Builders supported the development of the Hacer Común website, providing pro bono technical assistance.
• Volar en VminorOthersVolar en V selected Hacer Común for their pro bono program to develop a flight guide for the organization.
• Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)coreOthersEduardo Barrita was selected by the US State Department for YLAI, a program for young entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs from Latin America, Caribbean and Canada. The program provided growth and learning opportunities.
• Jóvenes construyendo su futurocoreOthersHacer Común serves as a training center (#780320) for the Mexican Federal Government's youth employment program, hosting young people seeking employment and training opportunities.
• The Nopo MarketcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational marketplace distributing the Hacer Común collection globally through their online platform at thenopo.com/hacer-comun-collection.
• Casa ItaacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal Oaxaca showroom and retail partner that showcases and sells Hacer Común products at their location on Melchor Ocampo 215 in Oaxaca de Juárez.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Etsy: Largest global marketplace for handmade, vintage, and craft goods. Represents the broad incumbent channel where artisan producers of this type reach consumers, though it competes on volume rather than curation or social impact.

Direct peers

• Made Trade: Online marketplace curating ethically sourced, fair-trade, and artisan-made home goods and accessories. Similar combination of craft, cultural preservation, and values-led positioning.
• NOVICA: Global online marketplace dedicated to handcrafted artisan goods from international artisans, including Mexican makers. Directly comparable as a channel for selling artisan-made home goods and crafts to design-conscious international consumers.
• Goodee: B2B and B2C marketplace for ethically produced home goods and design objects sourced from independent makers worldwide. Comparable curated artisan marketplace model and customer profile.
• The Nopo Market: Curated online marketplace carrying Mexican and Latin American designer-maker goods. Already a channel partner for Hacer Común; comparable as a curated multi-artisan sales platform with similar Mexico-origin design focus.
• The Citizenry: Direct-to-consumer brand of handcrafted home goods sourced from artisan partners worldwide. Comparable story-driven positioning, online distribution, and emphasis on traditional craftsmanship with social-impact framing.
• Oaxifornia: Oaxaca-rooted collaborative project between artisans, designers and artists producing everyday craft objects. Founder Eduardo Barrita previously served as Senior Design Director there, and it shares the same artisan-design-co-creation model and Zimatlán/Oaxaca base.

Regional players

• Hecho en Oaxaca: Loose brand label used across several Oaxaca artisan collectives marketing traditional crafts (wood, textiles, pottery) domestically and to tourists. Comparable regional artisan-production model from the same state.

Others

• Social BNB / community-tourism initiatives in Oaxaca: Community-immersive tourism programs in Oaxaca mixing homestays, workshops, and artisan encounters. Comparable experience-based offering to Hacer Común's Social BNB program.
• Producción Artesanal (Mexican Government program): FONART and related Mexican federal programs support artisan production, training, and commercialization nationwide. Comparable institutional ecosystem for traditional Mexican craft preservation and commercialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hacer.comun

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hacer Común