Live Bolivian Burnt Orange Crocheted Scarf

Highlights

For over 30 years Lucia, a native of Peru, has been traveling to Peru and Bolivia to work with local artisans to import folk-art, handicrafts, muscial intruments, jewelry, cotton clothing and llama and alpaca products. Lucia works with over 60 families of indigenous artisans that live in very remote villages. The trades are passed down from generation to generation so she now works with many of the grandchildren of the original artisans whose education has been afforded through their parents handicraft business.

Lucia began her business with the dreams of passing it on to her daughters and giving them the opportunity to frequently return to her home country. Her mother lives in Peru and oversees all of the production while her daughters assist with operations from the US. Because the business has provided opportunities and potentials, that “a little girl from Lima, Peru could have only dreamed of”, she has made it mandatory that the company gives back, not only to the community but to the environment as well. Among other things, Lucia ships all of the products in recycled boxes, is a member of the Fair Trade Federation, and donates a portion of our proceeds to the Santa Ana Parish located in a very poor area on the outskirts of Lima, the capital.

All of the merchandise is produced in an environmentally sound manner, using high quality natural materials by native artisans. Almost 50% of the people in Peru make at least part of their income from the sale of their crafts. As they have a shrinking local market, the beautiful, handcrafted items rely largely on North American, European, and Japanese importers to be sold. They depend on people like Lucia, which have access to these markets and are willing to pay a fair price.

A portion of proceeds from this item is dedicated to Water For People, working to build a world where all people have access to safe drinking water and sanitation, and where no one suffers or dies from a water- or sanitation-related disease.