Until the nineteenth century, most dyed threads were naturally dyed but now in current times, Guatemalan weavers prefer and heavily rely on "commercial and handspun yarns dyed with mollusk dye." As stated by Brumfiel, the use of these easier to acquire materials, "reduces the time needed for cloth production by two-thirds to three-quarters…, making it possible for weavers to devote more time to the actual weaving process" when using a backstrap loom. Instead focusing most of their time on creating the dyes and dyeing the cotton or maguey now, mollusk dye or acrylic thread threads speed-up the overall process. Another reason for using chemically dyed threads is because the, "colors are brighter and do not fade with wear, washing and exposure to the sun as readily as do naturally dyed threads."