How Fair Trade Supports Women Living in Rural Villages of Peru
The Patacancha Valley is home to many Indigenous villages that were settled centuries ago by Quechua people fleeing the Spanish conquest. Perched at high altitudes in the stunning Andean landscape, these communities lived for centuries at a distance from mainstream culture and economy in Peru. Until relatively recently, the villages in the Patacancha Valley did not have access to roads, telephones, or schools. Even when men left to work outside the villages, women stayed to care for children, farms, and animals.
In the last 30 years, however, new roads and schools have begun to make education, food markets, and opportunities to earn money more accessible. With the arrival of roads, markets, and tourists, Quechua women are carrying forward an ancestral yet living art form—the spinning, dyeing, and weaving of natural fibers, as a way to navigate the modern economy and sustain themselves and their culture.
At Awamaki, we are proud members of the Fair Trade Federation. Each year, we complete a thorough membership renewal process, reflecting our commitment to ethical, transparent, and equitable trade. We believe “fair trade” ensures that every artisan can maintain a dignified livelihood through her craft, receive fair compensation, and make choices that support her family and community. Fair Trade principles guide how we collaborate, co-create and share opportunities with our artisan partners.
Thoughtful: Honoring Art and Tradition
Fair trade helps ensure that the incredible knowledge of Quechua artisans is recognized as a source of both cultural pride (having historical, cultural and spiritual significance for the Quechua people) and economic opportunity. By valuing heritage textiletechniques, hand-spinning, natural dyeing, and backstrap weaving—fair trade turns what has long been undervalued women’s work into a sustainable livelihood.
Every piece created by our artisan partners is made by hand, slowly and intentionally, one thread at a time. Fair trade guarantees that this work is not rushed or exploited, but rather appreciated for its artistry skills and cultural significance. When community members around the world choose fair trade, they are choosing to help keep these ancestral techniques alive for generations to come.
Community // Ayllu: Creating Opportunities Together
The Fair Trade Federation emphasizes creating opportunities for economically marginalized producers. For women in rural villages of the Patacancha Valley, this looks like more than just wages. It is also about meaningful collaboration and leadership.
We believe sustainable impact must be equitable, which is why we actively work alongside and in direct support of Quechua artisans, their families, and communities. Women artisans decide how they want to grow, what products they want to make, and what skills they want to learn. Through fair trade partnerships, artisans gain access to international markets while remaining rooted in their own villages, close to their families, farms, and traditions.
This income enables women to contribute directly to their households, pay for their children’s education, and diversify their families’ opportunities. And because these initiatives are co-created, women’s voices guide the process, ensuring their priorities shape the future of their communities.
Reciprocity // Ayni: Mutual Respect and Long-Term Impact
At the heart of fair trade is reciprocity. In Quechua culture, ayni is the practice of mutual care and responsibility, and it’s a principle that aligns deeply with fair trade values.
Through fair trade, artisan partners are guaranteed fair pay for their work, which means stability and the chance to plan for the future. Beyond income, Awamaki provides opportunities for training in business skills, leadership, and product design, helping artisans strengthen their own cooperatives and small businesses.
In reciprocity, just as artisans receive training and market access, Awamaki learns from their expertise, traditions, and ways of working collectively. Our success is intertwined with theirs, and every decision we make is rooted in creating opportunities for knowledge-exchange and growth. When artisan partners flourish, their communities flourish too.
Fair Trade Honors Cultural Identity
In the Patacancha Valley, Quechua women continue an ancestral yet living art form, spinning, weaving, and dyeing not just textiles, but pathways for their families and communities to thrive. Fair trade supports this work, helping women stay in their villages, care for their children, and preserve traditions while engaging with the wider world. At Awamaki, we are honored to co-create alongside them in ways that are community-led, thoughtful, and rooted in reciprocity.
This month is Fair Trade Month, and we invite you to celebrate with us! When you shop this month, you’re supporting the women who carry forward a living art form, helping their craft, culture, and communities thrive. As our thank-you, enjoy 20% off your entire order by using code FAIRTRADE20 (limit one use per customer, through October 2025) and join us in honoring the incredible work of our artisan partners.
