THE ARTISANS: OUR PARTNERS
We believe that craftsmanship is something that must be preserved at all costs. As such, we set forth entirely handmade products according to the customs and traditions of artisans, thereby participating in safeguarding the heritage of their ancestors.
We work to maintain close and lasting relationships with our partners, thereby enabling us to secure the demands from the North with the production of the South. We ensure that products meet the needs of our customers. We engage in fair trade practices to improve the living conditions of the communities we work with and we contribute to sustainable development.
The majority of the artisans we work with live in the greater area of Lake Titicaca, in the Puno region. The lake is hidden at 3 812 meters high (12 507 feet) in the Andes cordillera. The villages are located between that altitude and as high as 5 500 meters (18 000 feet).
This high altitude area is the stronghold of breeding alpacas with a population of more than 1.7 million animals, more than 50% of the total population of alpacas in Peru (3.2 million in 2005).
Find out more about each of our partner groups:
Jesus Huamani Santo (fur-trimmed products)
José Huallpa Gutierrez (woven products)
Leonarda Julí Suaña (fur-trimmed knits)
All our products are proudly identified with the name of the artisan who made it.
