ILLARIPUNA, “ Andean textiles from the South”

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL TRACEABILITY

In the southern region of the Andes, some communities still preserve textiles made with ancestral techniques and designs that, for different reasons, are gradually losing their quality.
Aware of their enormous cultural value, at Illaripuna we have set out to make every possible effort to prevent their degradation and disappearance. To this end, we are planning a project aimed at reversing some of the risks that we currently identify as the main causes of this situation.
As a first step, we established a respectful dialogue with the women artisans who are still producing these textiles today. In this process, we were able to provide them with a set of forgotten knowledge and, together with them, we recovered numerous designs and techniques. This initial stage allowed us to identify several causes behind the deterioration of their production.
Gradually, we are working on their solutions, achieving significant improvement in the pieces.

ANDES WOMAN

Where the blue of the sky merges with the most incredible palette of the mountains, she tells her own story through threads, embroidery, and weaving.
An anthropologist by profession, a designer by vocation, and a socially and environmentally conscious entrepreneur by absolute conviction—but above all, an authentic Andean woman from the Valleys and the Puna.
Her surname reflects a family heritage, but even more so, her biography is written to the rhythm of rituals, a childhood spent among the tobacco fields, and an adolescence alongside her mother.
Today, her initiative unites the best of all her worlds, aiming to honor the highest ground she walks on—herself, her ancestors, and her children.

With years of experience in development projects with Indigenous communities—and aware of the enormous social inequality compounded by the environmental alarm of the water crisis—Illari Puna is committed to revaluing Andean textiles through socially and environmentally sustainable models. By creating employment, inspiring young people to once again take pride in manual work and live with dignity without having to migrate, we also safeguard one of the world’