Hilda Cachi is an UNESCO award winning silversmith from Cusco, Peru. Hilda learned her craft from her father Gregorio Cachi, also an UNESCO award winner. They still share a taller. Hilda works with 950 silver using traditional colonial techniques and tools.
Sonia Cachi is a silversmith from Cusco, Peru. She is the sister of Hilda Cachi and the daughter of Gregorio Cachi talented artisans who make traditional jewelry for us. She has her own workshop located in Lima, Peru, where she creates traditional and modern designs by hand. Sonia does the modern designs for EPC.
Bethania de Ugarte is a silversmith from Pisac, Peru. Born in San Blas, Cusco, Bethania now lives in Pisac with her husband and 4 children. Bethania designs and makes all her silver jewelry from 950 silver. She shares her studio with her father who is also a talented designer and jewelry maker.
Jallpa Nina Ceramics, located in Lurin, Peru, was founded by Marilyn Lizzarga. Jallpa Nina welcomed me with open arms in January 2002, when I arrived with a couple designs and a baggie with a clay sample. All my designs are made by hand using high fire stoneware and fired to cone 10 in gas kilns. Marilyn is a ceramist and their talented team includes ceramic artisans from all parts of Peru.
Association of Viva Peru, in Cusco, Peru is a group of 5 women knitters, organized by Libia Zarate of Viva Peru. Libia first started to knit as a teenager to help support her family. As her own children became teenagers and independent, Libia started to organize the women in the neighborhood and they shortly became an association. The women work together in the mornings at Libia’s taller, they work at home in the afternoons which enables them to cook for the family and be with their children.
While some of our artisans use their own alpaca yarn, for all our hand knit sweaters, we collaborate with Michell Yarn located in Cusco, Peru. Michell supplies the highest quality alpaca yarn available. Based in Arequipa, with acres and acres of land in Puno, Michell has its own herds of alpaca. The animals roam free and are happy. They are sheared once a year, usually in November. Alpaca are treated humanely in Peru and by Michell. The animals are revered and there is usually a ceremony honoring and thanking the animals before they are gently sheared. These are the guys that help us along with Libia Zarate of Viva Peru.
Gregorio Enriquez Taipe is a weaver from Huancavelica, Peru. Gregorio works with his son and wife at their taller in Yauli, Huancavelica. The family has its own alpaca herd and produce their own yarn for their products. In addition to being a weaver, Gregorio is an accomplished and well known scissor dancer.
