Peru
Alpaca ponchos and wraps woven on backstrap looms in the Peruvian Andes.
Our story
Every poncho is woven on a single backstrap loom by one maker in the high communities around Puno. Alpaca fleece is spun by hand, dyed with natural plants, and set in geometric patterns that carry the colours of the altiplano — deep violet dusk, sunburnt red, and the pale sand of the high plains.
Where it comes from
Ponchos woven from Andean alpaca fibre, warm and light.
The classic poncho suits a mild-to-cool winter; our heavy winter poncho is woven denser for genuinely cold weather. Both are lighter than a wool jumper of the same warmth.
Hand-wash cold in a little gentle wool wash, reshape and dry flat. Alpaca needs no tumble drying and resists pilling well.
Mostly yes — red from cochineal, violet from native plants, sand and cream undyed. They are set with a gentle mordant so they last.
Individual weavers in communities around Puno in the Peruvian Andes, each working their own backstrap loom. You receive the piece they made.
Backstrap-loom ponchos are woven as one piece with a single size that drapes well on most frames. If you are very tall or short, the fringe can be trimmed at home.
No — alpaca fibre is hollow and silky, softer than most wool and much warmer per gram. It sits comfortably next to skin for most people.
Notes from Puna Loom — new pieces and the people who make them. No noise.
