Mykonos Textile

The textile of Mykonos is a traditional product that mainly flourished until some decades ago but continues to distinguish the culture of the island. Even in ancient times, weaving was much developed in Mykonos and the nearby island of Delos, as archaeological findings have shown.

Travelers to Mykonos in the 17th and 18th centuries mention its textile production, which was the main occupation of the Mykonian women until the middle of the 20th century. In fact, the textiles were very artistic and had won awards in many international contests. They were also sold abroad and used to decorate the royal palace in Athens.

The textile of Mykonos was flourishing until 1970 when the first tourists came to the island. The women were the first to think of selling the product to tourists, so they sold them in stands in Chora or opened their workshops to show tourists their work.

With the development of industrial weaving, the traditional-made textile, which once supported many families on the island, started to lose popularity.
Nowadays, you can see many textiles in gift shops with beautiful designs on them, mainly in the form of scarves and rugs.

Such items also lie in the Folklore Museum in Chora, where more than 500 textile designs from the 1970s are exhibited.