Peru
hand loomed shawls and frazadas
Indigenous weavers have long used the fleece from the alpaca that inhabits the high plateaus of Peru. For generations, women have wrapped themselves and their babies in hand loomed shawls and frazadas created from this precious fiber.
The Sacred Valley
We work with weavers from the Sacred Valley high in the Peruvian Andes to the high altitudes of Puno and Lake Titicaca on the border of Bolivia. Alpacas are indigenous to the Peruvian highlands, breeding at altitudes ranging from 3500 to over 4500 meters above sea level. Since pre-Incan times they have been prized for the high quality of their soft and durable hair with it’s unique thermal properties.
Frazadas play an important role in the Andean region of Peru, taking up to 1 month or more to make. It is traditional for frazada blankets to be woven to celebrate the birth of a child or the marriage of a daughter. The colors and weaving style typically represent the person the blanket is made for. They carry the stories, history and symbolism of the indigenous peoples of Peru, and tell the tales of the community and women who have made them. Frazadas are passed through family generations. They are multi-functional used as rugs, wall hangings and blankets.
Supporting Ancient Weaving Traditions
We work with local women’s co-operative’s in Peru to bring our frazadas to you. We support fair trade, and the authentic traditional craftsmanship of ancient weaving traditions of the Andes.
