Threads of Peru Blog

Hi, my name is Hannah. I’m 23 years young from Bristol, England. I graduated university last summer with a degree in Fashion & Textile design. Whilst studying I also interned for several different Fashion designers helping on their latest collection as well as attending London Fashion week!

Since graduating I have been working for a FTSE 250 company as a Company Secretarial and Tax Assistant to gain knowledge of how a big corporation works and to save for this trip to South America.

Whilst traveling I knew I wanted to work with a non-profit organization. Then my classmate Olivia, who I would be traveling with found Threads of Peru on a South American 2014 guide website. As TOP is a textile based project we thought this would be a perfect partnership having a Fashion & Textile background. We were thrilled when TOP accepted our application to take myself and Olivia on as Textile and Product Design volunteers for one month. 

 With her warp prepared, Lucia Castillo Yupanqi is most comfortable working in the open air, here with company from fellow cooperative member, Juana Rios Churata.

Our objective whilst working with TOP would be focusing on fashion consulting as well as brain storming and creating new product design ideas inspired by the combination of traditional Quechua textiles and modern fashion trends.

Myself and Olivia created a market research report concentrating on TOP competitors and how Threads could improve their current and future products to make them more trend aware and accessible in the Western world.

We were fortunate enough to visit the weaving communities of Huaran, Chaullacocha and Rumira Sondormayo. The women and men of these communities are highly skilled artisans who produce beautiful hand woven products sourced from the landscapes which they live in, the Peruvian Andes. Staying with these communities has allowed me to really understand how the weaving process works. Their generosity and hospitality was overwhelming, I felt privileged to be welcomed into their homes. 

After warping the colors chosen by Hannah and Olivia, Juana Puclla Cjuro is ready to weave!

It’s been an absolute pleasure working with the TOP organization and with the team of girls in the Cusco office Dana, Sarah and Stephanie. They have made this a unique experience and I hope to work with TOP again in the future!

Read more

Calling all nomads, adventurers, explorers and travelers! Whether you are traversing through rural terrain or navigating foreign urban cities, choose Threads of Peru fair trade products to accompany you on your travels this summer. All of our products are sustainably made with social consciousness; 100% of the profit generated from Threads of Peru sales are returned to the artisans of high Andean communities creating these products, so they are enabled to maintain their cultural practices and traditional lifestyle.

Wherever you go to satiate your wanderlust, organization is key for every  traveler. For check-ins, carry-ons, cosmetics and coins, Threads of Peru offers a beautiful selection of handmade zippered pouches in which you can stowaway valuables, mementos, and everything in between. 

The vibrant Illary and Rumira zippered cosmetic pouches are the perfect size to stow makeup or safely tuck away cell phones.

The Q'ello and Q'omer coin purses are essential for travelers carrying currency of any kind in their handbag or pocket.

The Andean carrying case is ideal for toiletries and small carry on items, featuring a secure zippered closure and woven straps.

Even after the summer sun has faded and travels have come to a close, Threads of Peru products function in daily life and remain aesthetic accessories.

Though the sun may be shining in the Northern Hemisphere, locations with higher altitudes and much of the Southern Hemisphere are hunkering down for a drop in temperature. 

Stay warm with Threads of Peru's Chullo hat and Cusco scarf. The finest textiles of 100% organic baby alpaca fibre are used to create the Chullo hat and Cusco scarf so you can bundle up with a high-quality, socially-conscious product.

No matter the latitude and longitude of your destination, begin your summer journey by supporting fair trade products, the communities benefiting from the profits of these products, and the women creating these one of a kind items.

Read more

Just days after Christmas, I spontaneously made the decision to check one of the “big ticket” items off my bucket list - running a full marathon. But despite already feeling energized and motivated, I looked at my Lima 42km confirmation email and thought, “This is going to take a lot more than just my own grit to cross that finish line.” It didn’t take long for the answer to strike me: my daily inspiration is my work and maybe I could use running to inspire others to help weavers in the high Andean communities!

Weeks later, bumping along the winding, gravel-stridden dirt road to Chaullacocha and Rumira Sondormayo, an idea came to me that I hadn’t really taken into consideration when signing myself up: how would the idea of running 42 km - not to mention that friends, family and followers would give me MONEY (and quite a bit of it) - to run that distance, translate to Quechua? I realized  that the overwhelming inspiration that shocked my legs into motion over the winter, namely the kind and talented weavers of the high Andes, may not understand this personal goal that I had committed myself to on their behalf.

Now, looking back on 5 months of training, 4 of those spent winding through colonial streets, mountain trails and along rivers, I should have had more faith. It was not the challenge of cross-cultural communication that I encountered during that weekend of community visits but the simplicity of friendship and gratitude. That the idea was foreign,  and“out there”, didn’t translate nearly as strongly as that I was running to support them and the continued success of our working together. I was surrounded by well wishes and support. They even asked whether the event would be broadcast on television for them to watch, despite that neither community has access to television! 

 Just having passed the halfway mark at 21 km/13 miles, Dana and running mate, Kaitlyn, still have lots of energy for the cameras!

On May 18, hundreds of hours of muscle cramps, “carbo-loading” and 5 AM alarm clocks were put to the test. With one of my best friends by my side, 2,000 muscle-ripped runners surrounding me and a palpable energy of anticipation, I took a deep breath and started out on the most taxing 4 hours and 28 minutes of my athletic life. We wound through the districts of Lima, the route blending into one continuous length of unforgiving pavement after reaching the halfway point at 21 km/13 miles. Hearing the steady rhythm of my feet pressing forward, I looked around me, to those struggling,  and realized I was running for something much bigger, more important and closer to my heart than my sore feet and legs - the women of the Andes. Not to mention that I was one of few who were crazy enough to train like an Inca runner at 12,000+ feet in the Andes! 

 Exhausted and achy, the girls finish strong in under 4 hours 30 minutes!

I crossed the finish line with my head held high for my friends and colleagues in Chaullacocha and Rumira Sondormayo and with the love and kindness of too many to name, we have raised over $2,000. These funds will be invested in skills improvement and capacitation workshops that educate, and empower indigenous artisans by developing professional skills. These include finer-quality weaving and spinning, self-organization and leadership, an education that will cycle back to improve not only their own quality of life but that of their children too. 

 A celebratory shot of the marathoners and half-marathoners. What are they thinking? "Bring on the food!"

I believe that these are the changes that will change the world, thus that no matter when or how small, your support will help us in continuing our efforts for a brighter future in Peru. From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all those that have donated and will donate (please be in touch at dana@threadsofperu.com)!

Read more