Andina World: A story of Peruvian Craftmanship
Hand selected fibers. Handmade garments.
Ethically handcrafted by Peruvian Artisans using traditional knitting techniques.
We are Craft. We Empower Culture. We Preserve Heritage.
Preserving Peruvian Indigenous cultural Heritage
In the range of the Peruvian Andes indigenous artisans engage on loom pedal weaving, back-strap weaving and knitting, all handmade techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation.
Our objective as a brand is to preserve their ancestral weaving techniques, as it is an important part of their identity and history.
That’s why as a brand, we have embarked on a noble mission, to preserve their cultural heritage by solely using their traditional weaving and knitting techniques to produce our garments.
Handmade
In a world of mass production, Andina World stands as a beacon of artisanal excellence and craftsmanship. Our commitment is reflected on what and how our garments are made: all our accessories use solely hand-spun yarn that have been hand spun by the indigenous artisans in their communities. They use their traditional tools and ancestral spinning techniques to produce our handmade yarn, which then we buy and use it to make our handmade accessories such as beanies and gloves.
All our scarfs and ponchos are handmade on a pedal-loom made of wood and built by the community. No electricity is used to produce our scarfs and ponchos reflecting the pure craftsmanship owned by the artisans and the unique one-off piece when you own an Andina World garment.
Our sweaters and cardigans are knitted by hand, and each piece tells a story of expertise and timeless process.
Natural Dyes
Washing, combing alpaca wool and spinning yarn, while pots are simmering with natural plants and pigments dyeing the wool and cotton is what opens in front of you, if you would visit our artisans when they are producing our handmade garments.
The traditional way of natural dyeing wool and textiles with plants and vegetables has been almost abandoned in Peru, since the introduction of synthetic dyes.
It is far from common practice, as it is more expensive and requires a lot of effort, work and patience.
Concerned that all this rich heritage and knowledge could get lost, Andina World decided, since our first collection, that all our accessories will be dyed solely using local plants and vegetables that grow in the area where the indigenous communities live. We respect the dyeing process, techniques and recipes that our artisans use and have been passed down to them from previous generations. This way we help to keep this ancestral Peruvian culture and tradition alive.
Our Fair Trade and Social Impact philosophy
For decades artisans and indigenous communities from Peru have been exploited and forced to sell their alpaca fibre and garments through middlemen who wouldn’t pay enough for the weavers and artisans to breakeven.
As a brand we were born with the aim to break them free from the middleman. That’s why we work directly with the weavers and indigenous artisans, so they can sell directly to us the alpaca yarn and the garments they knit to the price they want (no middleman involve) and provide them with a fair-trade employment.
Every production order we place with them it gives them economic independence, generate a social change and create opportunities for generations ahead. So, we make sure that your purchase has a direct impact on them, without any middlemen.