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Hand Loomed Earth Tone 100 Alpaca Shoulder Bag from Peru 'Sierra Earth' Item ID: 2671400760
$129.99Currently not available
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"The artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco draw inspiration from the earthen colors of the Andean Sierra for this beautiful messenger bag. It's hand-loomed from 100% alpaca wool with a traditional Inca geometric pattern in slate grey, russet, black, and sepia. It comes fully lined and features a zipper closure.
The Artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco collective works to maintain traditional Peruvian weaving styles and natural dyeing techniques alive. They raise their own alpacas and llamas and color the wool using 100% natural dyes. Its founder, Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez, sought out elderly weavers to teach younger apprentices old weaving techniques that were about to be lost forever."
- 1.09 lb
- Bag: 12.5 inches L x 11.8 inches W,Handle(s): 55 inches L x 0.8 inches W,Drop length: 26 inches from strap to bag
- 0.35 lbs
- Bag: 12.5 inches L x 11.8 inches W
- Handle(s): 55 inches L x 0.8 inches W
- Drop length: 26 inches from strap to bag
- 100% alpaca
- acrylic lining
- Features a zipper closure
- Hand wash only
- Hand-crafted item -- color
- size and/or motif may vary slightly
Made in Peru
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"I was born in Chinchero, a magical district in Cusco where our textile culture keeps the ancient techniques alive," Nilda says. "They are still used to create apparel and both utilitarian and decorative designs, and the skills are handed down from generation to generation. Artisanal activities such as dyeing the sheep and alpaca wool with organic colors, and weaving it offer a glimpse into our ancestral culture.
"I've been fascinated with weaving since I was a child. I learned by analyzing a textile from distant regions. I had woven only a little and a tourist bought it, loom and all. I could see how valuable it was to create more intricate and traditional styles instead of the bright textiles with synthetic yarn that most people weave for the tourist market."
The origin of the center dates back to 1970, when Nilda and a group of women began gathering in homes to spin and weave together. They realized Cusco's traditional textiles had begun to disappear, in favor of cheaper products using chemical dyes, and as the chain of transmission from older to younger generations faltered. In addition, the racism suffered by the Indigenous population meant that men and women were ashamed or afraid to wear their traditional clothing.
To save their sacred textile tradition, the weavers dedicated themselves to recovering ancestral designs and techniques, reviving a sense of pride in the Indigenous culture, and selling their products to tourists as a way of maintaining independence. Together they established a community cultural center in Chinchero; the nonprofit was finally established in 1996, with the mission "to provide an interactive space for the weavers and the public through programs, research, and publications that promote and reevaluate our ancestral textiles." Every Saturday, the Young Weavers Groups meet so children have the opportunity to learn directly from their elders, ensuring the future of the region's textile legacy.
"We feel proud to be who we are, proud of our history, and we appreciate it as it deserves. We want to share our art with the world and always motivate our younger artisans. In this way, we want to promote everything that is in our hands to do."
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Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco
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Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco
@center-for-traditional-textiles-of-cuscotraditional handwoven Andean apparel and decor
Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco traditional handwoven Andean apparel and decor
"I was born in Chinchero, a magical district in Cusco where our textile culture keeps the ancient techniques alive," Nilda says. "They are still used to create apparel and both utilitarian and decorative designs, and the skills are handed down from generation to generation. Artisanal activities such as dyeing the sheep and alpaca wool with organic colors, and weaving it offer a glimpse into our ancestral culture.
"I've been fascinated with weaving since I was a child. I learned by analyzing a textile from distant regions. I had woven only a little and a tourist bought it, loom and all. I could see how valuable it was to create more intricate and traditional styles instead of the bright textiles with synthetic yarn that most people weave for the tourist market."
The origin of the center dates back to 1970, when Nilda and a group of women began gathering in homes to spin and weave together. They realized Cusco's traditional textiles had begun to disappear, in favor of cheaper products using chemical dyes, and as the chain of transmission from older to younger generations faltered. In addition, the racism suffered by the Indigenous population meant that men and women were ashamed or afraid to wear their traditional clothing.
To save their sacred textile tradition, the weavers dedicated themselves to recovering ancestral designs and techniques, reviving a sense of pride in the Indigenous culture, and selling their products to tourists as a way of maintaining independence. Together they established a community cultural center in Chinchero; the nonprofit was finally established in 1996, with the mission "to provide an interactive space for the weavers and the public through programs, research, and publications that promote and reevaluate our ancestral textiles." Every Saturday, the Young Weavers Groups meet so children have the opportunity to learn directly from their elders, ensuring the future of the region's textile legacy.
"We feel proud to be who we are, proud of our history, and we appreciate it as it deserves. We want to share our art with the world and always motivate our younger artisans. In this way, we want to promote everything that is in our hands to do."
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