What product does the Rivera family make?

The Rivera family makes shoes.

The Rivera family’s shoemaking business is central to Coco’s story and identity. In Santa Cecilia, Miguel lives among relatives who make and sell shoes, continuing a trade begun by Mamá Imelda after her husband abandoned the family. Imelda turns to shoemaking to support her daughter Coco, and the craft becomes the family’s livelihood across generations.

This history also explains the family’s strict opposition to music. Imelda’s husband left to pursue a musical career and never returned, so she bans music from the household. Miguel’s love of guitar and singing therefore threatens both the family rule and the tradition that holds the Riveras together.

The film shows shoemaking as skilled family work rather than a throwaway detail. The Rivera home, workshop, tools, and finished footwear establish a recognizable community business. The family does not primarily make blankets, tortillas, or sombreros, although those objects fit the film’s Mexican setting and can make tempting alternatives.