Wool Ornaments from Peru (Set of 6) - Winter Warmers

Artisan Organization: Putzkan

Country: Andes

"We are a family from a small town in the department of Ancash, Peru. We have art in our hands and we want to share it with the world. We formed a group to assist women in vulnerable situations in rural communities, and call ourselves named Putzkan.

"We became interested in textile arts through our own family legacy. We grew up watching our grandparents and parents knit, crochet and weave. At a very young age, we knew we wanted to improve our living conditions, having experienced the poverty and lack of resources and that exist in these communities. We want to motivate growth and we work daily to improve and help our community through textile arts.

"We've had our ups and downs, and have made it through some difficult times. One of the toughest was losing our father to cancer. I believe this made us more resilient and more able to fight for the goals and dreams we chose, and of supporting those who need it most. We are generating employment and identifying the possibilities in the communities to be able to support them. Our father left us a great legacy so that when times are difficult, we put more of our hearts into what we do.

"The pandemic hit us very hard in many aspects, and caused us to temporarily close everything. The challenges that we've had to face include a lack of interest and opportunities to support the region and, above all, the lack of capital to be able to expand. Despite the negatives, as our father taught us, we never stopped dreaming or believing in our art and tradition, and never lost faith and hope that we would get back up again little by little.

"We dream big — our thoughts and efforts are focused not only on our personal growth but also on that of the community in which we live. We want to uplift our handmade crafts based on natural fibers dyed with the plants of the area, which show our Andean culture with Andean designs. We work with vulnerable communities and mothers, replanting the plants we use for dyes. Our work focuses on the conservation of nature, and keeping its essence intact. We work very hard to have our own educational craft center and to be able to expand not only locally but internationally.

"Our art benefits so many people in our community, especially vulnerable mothers, and that's what we love the most. We love that our crafts are ecological, that they represent our culture and that they are friendly with the environment. The designs we make are unique, and we are encouraged that this culture of natural and ancestral weaving and dyeing will not be lost.

"Throughout the production process we try to reduce its impact on the environment. We reuse the dye water to water the plants. We reuse thread and yarn scraps to make small weavings such as key rings. We make packaging from leftover fabrics, and we heat the dye pots over a natural wood fire.

"Our inspiration comes from our people, their beauty and their culture. We are proud of who we are and what we represent. We currently teach mothers and people who want to belong to our team with training in all textile art processes. We are very grateful to be part of your family."

In 2021, Putzkan received the Award for Women's Empowerment and Gender Inclusion in Latin America and the Caribbean from the International Fund for Agricultural Development."