special gift

Crafted by hand, this delightful morral combines rich textures with red, white and rich earthen browns. Artisan members of Peru's Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco first knot the yarn before it is woven on a backstrap loom. The motifs derive from Inca art in an effort to keep the traditional patterns and techniques alive as well as their Andean identity. This texture is known as urpi, which means "dove" in the Quechua language.

The community raises and cares for its own alpacas. The fleece is washed, carded and spun by hand using a pushka, or drop spindle. The dyes come from plants, nuts and tree bark. The next step is one of the most important, as the artisan prepares the warp, or vertical threads for the backstrap loom. This determines the size of the textile, the color combinations, and the patterns that will be woven.

The intensity of color can vary depending on the hardness of the water, the altitude and the local dye sources, making each textile a unique piece of handcrafted art

Show off your sophisticated sense of style with this elegant shoulder bag from Kathiana Quispe in Peru. The bag is crafted from supple deep brown leather and a handloomed wool panel inspired by ancient Inca textiles. A generous complement of convenient pockets and a removable, adjustable shoulder strap complete the design.

Peru's Kathiana Quispe designs and crafts this versatile bag with adjustable and detachable straps which allows it to be used over the shoulder, as a clutch, or as a wristlet. The black leather bag features a textile accent and a zipper pocket for coins or other small items.

Inspired by the archaeological treasure that is the Sacred Valley of the Inca, the artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco create this beautiful shoulder bag. They use a traditional loom to weave the bag from a alpaca and sheep's wool blend yarns. Inca-inspired motifs decorate the bag as well as the shoulder straps. The fully lined bag features an interior zipper pocket.