Pachacuti's Fair Trade fashion and accessories collection for Autumn/Winter symbolises the need for man and nature to co-exist. Urban colours such as granite, slate and dust sit alongside sumptuous tones from nature such as teal blue and berry red.
Our hooded shawl is a key element of the range. The colour is dust. In the Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck used dust to stand for the profiteering banks that squeeze the life out the land, leaving the soil and the people drained and exploited. But touch the garment and you will experience a complete contrast: the softest, most luxurious baby alpaca yarn, a joy to wear, an incredible fibre which naturally repels the odours and stains of city life.
This has been a year of change, of questioning, and we need to find ways to tackle the problems we have encountered. Sustainability and Fair Trade have moved to the forefront as valid solutions. Alpaca is one of the most sustainable fibres available: the animals graze freely high in the Andes; the fibre doesn't bobble or pill; natural resin resists stains and odours; needs little washing; looks good for an estimated 10 years. Wrap yourself in reassuringly warm, soft alpaca as an antidote to city life.
I know that our customers increasingly want to be informed of the provenance of the garments and accessories you purchase, seeking a link to the artisan and an assurance of high ethical standards. Pachacuti is the first company in the world to be Fair Trade Certified by the World Fair Trade Organisation, a guarantee of the highest social and environmental standards throughout the supply chain.
All accessories shown are 100% alpaca, handmade by co-operatives in Peru and Bolivia.
Extra long hooded baby alpaca shawl - dust £117
Twenties flower hat - teal £23.50
Thistle fingerless alpaca gloves - granite £29.95
Rambling rose scarf - teal/berry £59.95