Threads of Peru Blog

A scarf is for life, not just for Christmas

Nov 21, 2011

"Ending is better than mending. The more stitches, the less riches."

Aldous Huxley, Brave New World.

When we buy clothes nowadays it's rarely with the idea that they will last us for years to come. It's happened more than once: I take a look in my wardrobe, sigh over the fact I have nothing to wear for some party tonight, go to the shops and buy a new shirt. The same night someone spills red wine over the shirt, another sigh ‘oh well’ the next day the shirt is in the rubbish bin. The very idea of taking the time and money to take the shirt to get dry cleaned is ridiculous, primarily because it will cost more than the shirt did in the first place…

In a society where you can buy an outfit for less than a warm meal have clothes become so disposable to us that at the first sign of flaw or at the end of the fashion season we simply discard them like so much rubbish? The above quote is from a futuristic novel which describes a society so bent on consumerism that mending clothes is unheard of, and as such clothes no longer have any value.

Our ethos is just the opposite of this; the pieces that are created for Threads of Peru are handcrafted by Andean women to be well made, individual and from a fashion point of view, timeless. Our products are designed to last for years to come and are not gimmicky or faddy.

One of our scarves with its classic design and good quality which is designed to last a lifetime We feel that when our customers buy a piece from us they are making an investment, both in a beautiful piece of apparel for the future but also in the lives of the craftswomen who created it. The piece is 100% organic, soft, and warm. Particularly the natural alpaca pieces are in soft browns, grays and hues that are classic colours that can complement the look of the season. We realize that when it comes to clothes, people are going to buy something because it appeals to them and they feel attractive wearing it. However, we do encourage you to think of a Threads of Peru purchase as something that will last for much longer than a season. It was not mass produced, but created using an ancient tradition and purchased fairly to ensure the continuity of this rare craft.

Frankie Ginnett, Project Assistant and Volunteer Co-ordinator

“Living History in the Andean Alpaca” an Article by Adam Foster Collins & Carolina Reyes

Nov 19, 2011

Founder Adam Foster Collins, working with past volunteer Carolina Reyes recently had a fascinating article published in the Alpacas Magazine.

Below we have published the first paragraph, if you would like to read more please Download The Full Article Here Anyone who knows alpacas is likely aware of their long history in South America. A quick overview of that history will tell you that the alpaca appears in the art of the Mochica civilization of northern Peru from over a thousand years ago, and was domesticated long before that. For millennia, alpacas have lived under the protection of human kind and Peru is still home to most of the world’s alpacas. A grass-roots NGO (non-governmental organization) called Threads of Peru is at work with the indigenous Quechua people—descendents of the Inca—in an effort to create sustainable markets for the woven fiber of this treasured animal. A visit to the Sacred Valley with Threads of Peru offers us a rare glimpse of life with the alpaca today.

The Sacred Valley region of Peru was the center of Inca civilization from the early 13th century until the Incas were conquered by the Spanish, and the alpaca was intimately tied to the Inca culture. The Incas bestowed special religious significance upon the alpaca, sacrificing one at sunrise, noon, and sunset to appease their gods. Because of this special religious importance, the Incas separated their alpacas from other forms of livestock and segregated the herds by color. Alpacas provided the Inca people with clothing, food, and fuel. Material woven from alpaca fleece was prized above gold and silver.

Volunteering Opportunities The co-author of this article (Carolina Reyes) was a volunteer with us and worked with the women in the communities. If this is something that you would be interested in we have diverse range of volunteer opportunities within our organisation. To find out more about our current opportunities please get in touch.

How Alpaca makes me feel….

Nov 06, 2011

It’s wonderful to step into a room feeling that you look your best. Perhaps you have had your hair done, or maybe you are wearing a new jacket – but you feel attractive and confident, you feel that the world is at your feet.

Wearing alpaca gives me that feeling. I like stepping out into the world wearing alpaca, because of the way it makes me feel.

I was in Melbourne recently for a series of business meetings. Melbourne is a city perpetually in Autumn, with crisp days and scatterings of orange and red coloured leaves – and so I dressed in a business like grey jacket teamed with a grey alpaca scarf… As I shook people’s hands, I felt in control and confident. The indigenous Peruvian design on the scarf was striking, different and unique –and so I felt that I was apart from the crowd before I had even started the meeting. That’s how alpaca makes me feel.

Winter weddings are so difficult to dress for, because most formal dresses are sleeveless and light, and I always feel it’s a shame to cover a gorgeous dress with a jacket - it somehow doesn’t feel right. But recently I tried out my beautiful purple and pink alpaca women’s poncho wrapped over a black gown and I felt like a million dollars. Alpaca is super warm, and it hugs your body in a way that feels like an embrace. It drapes beautifully and I simultaneously felt elegant, stylish and yet snug. That’s how alpaca makes me feel.

Now that summer is upon us in Australia, we have our monthly Farmer’s markets in our local town. I picked out one of my larger tote bags, feeling good about myself because I was going out with an environmentally friendly, handmade organic product. Several times people admired the bag, touching the fabrics and the design – and it made me feel proud for making such a savvy choice. That’s how alpaca makes me feel.

Over the years, I have owned a number of different alpaca items – and whenever I have worn those items I have felt… special, elegant, regal, ethical, attractive, warm, caressed and amazing.

That's how alpaca makes me feel.

Ariana Svenson Co Founder