This guest blog comes to us from our supplier partner, Crafted Peru. From October 1st-December 15th, $0.10 from the sale of all Crafted Peru handmade ornaments will be donated to support microlending programs through Whole Planet Foundation® to alleviate poverty around the globe.
We at Crafted Peru strive to create opportunities for indigenous artisans of the Andes to earn income by bringing handmade Peruvian products to the American market through long-term trading relationships. It has been a wonderful five years since we started this journey, and we’ve learned so much from all of the people we have met along the way. 
Our community is formed by artisans that are masters of their own unique type of handcrafted products from all over Peru. We use all-natural products found in and around our hometowns in The Andes of Peru to create our unique pieces.
Crafted Peru’s handmade holiday ornaments are carefully made using the same natural and simple techniques used by the Incas. Artisans use homemade tools to create the ornaments, on which they carefully draw, hand-paint, and then carve. Up to 6 hours of time per ornament by each artisan goes into each creation.
Our process is very unique since the entire Crafted Peru team is involved in every step, from choosing the materials we are going to work with to delivering the products to stores in United States.
Crafted Peru believes the best way to know Peruvian culture is through the workmanship of our artisans. Each artisan transmits their life’s experiences and personality into each piece, which makes each one unique.
Before Crafted Peru, many Peruvian gourd farmers had a difficult time finding work since the demand for this art was decreasing year by year. We first helped two families to start growing gourds, and now they work directly with artisans, providing them with the raw materials to create our holiday ornaments and other gourd products.
Each year, we increase production to meet the demand for our products. Our artisans and their families are able to enjoy a much mo
re comfortable life thanks to the profits we make selling our ornaments at Whole Foods Market.
Not so long ago we were only working with four artisans to create our beautiful ornaments. Now we are workng with ten different artisans who benefit from the sales of Crafted Peru
goods.
Crafted Peru has created a huge impact on the farming communities of the Andes. Families can now afford to have a better life and improve their houses and make them safer for the winter season.
To keep artisans diversifying their skills, it is very important that they always create income regardless of the time of the year. This is why we helped them to learn how to hand knit, so they can also create hand knitted ornaments. Some of the artisans are creating new winter lines (hats, gloves and scarves) with their new
knowledge.
Visit www.craftedperu.com to see the full Crafted Peru line and to learn more about artisans in South America. From October 1st-December 15th, $0.10 from the sale of all Crafted Peru handmade ornaments will be donated to support microlending programs through Whole Planet Foundation®.