Women from Runakay Association select deep red for this original capelet. They work with yarns of baby alpaca wool – a term that refers to the season's first shear, which makes it coveted for its warmth and lightweight softness. The capelet features a v-neck and drapes gracefully down the back.
Made in Peru
100% alpaca
Textile softness: Soft -- this item has been made with natural fibers that are soft to the touch
"Art classes are important for teaching techniques, but what is of greater importance is the way that each piece is made. We are weaving together experiences, stories, and landscapes."
Runakay Association is borne from the dreams and hopes of Cecilia Cuadros and Virginia Barreda with a mission to empower... artists, artisans and admirers of Peruvian arts. It was founded in 2011 in Arequipa, where pre-Hispanic cultures meet Spanish influence, and the merger can be admired in the architecture and paintings, both cultures fusing into what is known as Andean baroque.
Runakay comes from the Quechua runa meaning human being, and runakay implies human nature, pride in being part of a community which in turn strengthens a personal identity.
Mother of three Cecilia is an industrial engineer with a life-long dream of working and supporting artisans from the different regions in Peru. Virginia is a designer and architect working with several communities. She interprets Arequipa culture and expresses it through textile arts.
"I grew up in my grandparents' house surrounded by nature and the Arequipa landscape," recalls Virginia. "Grandfather was a philosopher and an artist who painted and sculpted, so his presence and the environment surrounding his house created a world for me like none other!
"My mother, Yolanda, taught me how to knit when I was a little girl. Mom always encouraged me to develop my creativity by giving all sorts of materials like swaths of cloth, yarn, paper and other, which in turn I would transform into little presents and ornaments for the family. From my father, Vicente, an industrial engineer, I learned the importance of respect, responsibility and discipline. As a free spirit, my father's teachings helped me become a person and an artist of integrity.
"I've always wanted to study design, so I took a course in interior design and when I finished I studied architecture in Arequipa. Then I went to Lima to study fashion design.
"From a very young age, Cecilia has been working with different Andean communities along artisans. From our experiences working in Peru's remotest areas we became aware of the reality of their living conditions, and that's how we decided to work together and form an association.
"The members of the association have an equally strong appreciation for their culture, of which we all feel very proud. We love our Arequipa roots and culture, weaves, sculptures, architecture, ceramics and jewelry.
"The artisans of Arequipa are proud keepers of their artistic traditions and procedures, which they learned from their parents and grandparents all the way back to their ancestors who first developed the techniques.
"Through the association we train women artisans in their own communities in design, weaving and knitting techniques. The aim is to rescue their own traditions, and from there develop original collections. We also provide training in budgeting and administration so they can stand up to a very competitive market and start procuring a better income for themselves.
"With each trip to a new community we experience different things, especially when we go to far away communities that are difficult to reach, where services are scarce services and where climate conditions are harsh, just like their living conditions.
"And yet, getting to know a new community fills us with hope. We learn so much from them, like their customs and culture – it's such an enriching exchange! The art of weaving and the benefits of fair trade have taken our association to get to know so many places and so many marvelous people. The association has given us the opportunity to go to new places, meet new people, hear new stories, and find new sources of inspiration.
"At Runakay Association we believe that being able to design, weave and knit, is a gift. It is a language that has allowed us to communicate with people of different origins, cultures, languages and beliefs, all coming together through a single and integrating thread.
"Seeing the people that surround us, the smiles of the women when they have finished a piece, people's reactions when they see what they have done and the opportunity to preserve ancestral artistic traditions – all of these motivates us to continue with the added value that we are contributing to the economic conditions of Andean communities.
"We believe in culture as an active factor that leads to social development and inclusion, and this belief inspires us to identify, design and promote projects that truly lead to the development of communities in the countryside.
Art classes are important for teaching techniques, but what is of greater importance is the way that each piece is made. We are weaving together experiences, stories, and landscapes.
"One of the challenges we might face as an association is to transmit, with every negotiation, our deep respect for culture, people and their quality of life, as well as our social and ecological responsibility, as we search for an institutional development that supports regional development.
"And so, Novica customer, I'd like to reassure you that the piece you hold in your hands is woven with the pride and hope, dreams and emotions of the artisan who made it, feeling at one with nature. That means they are filled with life, a life that identifies with nature, people and their communities and their wellbeing."
Only valid on the Normal shipping option for shipments to 48 Lower US states.
Discounted shipping price may not be applied to previous orders.
This item ships with a free artist storycard, so you can remember who you impacted today. Customized gift messages are also available with every order.
We want you to be 100% satified with your order, so if you are not completely happy with your item, you can return it within 60 days of receiving it.
We pack, ship, certify and 100% guarantee the quality of this item. Watch this video to see how.
This item is available for backorder and will ship within 2 to 8 weeks. Artists love to get backorders. Placing a backorder ensures that the artisan will do their best to create and deliver your item to our local office for shipment.
Although we cannot guarantee availability, we do expect to be able to fill the order within the timeframe indicated. But sometimes life happens - special materials may not be immediately available to the artist, or there might be some other circumstance beyond our control that could delay the shipment.
If for any reason we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will notify you.
In the unlikely even that we are unable to ship the item within the timeframe indicated, we will contact you and provide an updated delivery window.
This item has a special shipping flat fee which means that due to bulk, duties, or other special requirements, the item will be shipped to you via one of our special one-rate services. Shipping is only available to the United States (lower 48 States only).
WOMEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
BUST
35 - 36
37 - 38
39 - 41
42 - 44
46 - 48
WAIST
27 - 28
29 - 30
31 - 33
34 - 36
38 - 40
HIPS
37 - 38
39 - 40
42 - 43
45 - 46
49 - 50
MEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
CHEST
36 - 38
39 - 41
42 - 44
46 - 48
50 - 52
WAIST
30 - 32
32 - 34
35 - 37
38 - 41
43 - 45
NECK
14 - 14.5
15 - 15.5
16 - 16.5
17 - 17.5
18 - 18.5
SLEEVE
32.5
33.5
34.5
35.5
36.5
FINDING YOUR SIZE
Take your measurements with the tape measure over your under garments. If your measurements fall between sizes you may prefer the next larger size. Inseam, skirt and dress lengths vary by style and will be listed in the item description. Our sweaters are knit in standard American sizes, however actual measurements vary by style.
BUST / CHEST
Measure around the fullest part of chest under the arms and over the shoulder blades keeping the tape measure level.
WAIST
Measure around the smallest part of the waist keeping the tape measure comfortably loose. Most garments use the low waist measurement noted below.
LOW WAIST
Measure around the body approximately 1.5" below the natural waist (above). This is the area where most pants and skirts actually fit.
HIPS
Standing with your heels together, measure around the fullest part of the body approx 7"-8" below the waist.
NECK
Measure around the base of the neck keeping the tape measure comfortably loose.
SLEEVE
Bend elbow slightly and starting at the center back of the neck, measure across the shoulder, to the elbow and down to the wrist.
INSEAM
Our standard inseam length for women is 32" and 34" for men; however inseam measurements will vary slightly by style.
Belts with buckles are measured in inches that correspond to a waist size however, most people do not wear belts on the waist, they wear them closer to the hips. A buckle belt measurement is take from the end of the "pin" of the buckle to the middle hole on the belt. Generally there are 5 holes for size adjustment, with a 1" space between each, so the middle hole will the be average size of the belt.
For at tie belt (no buckle) measure the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This again is the medium size of the belt.
For a soft fabric tie belt it can be called "1 size fits most" and the entire length of the belt should be measured and listed.
See buckle/tie belt size standards below.
WOMEN
S
M
L
XL
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
inches
26 - 30
28 - 32
31 - 35
34 - 38
38 - 42
cm
76 - 86
81.5 - 91.5
86.5 - 96.5
91.5 - 101.5
96.5 - 106.5
+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm
MEN
S
M
L
XL
XXL
inches
30 - 34
32 - 36
35 - 39
39 - 43
43 - 47
cm
81.5 - 91.5
86.5 - 96.5
91.5 - 101.5
96.5 - 106.5
109 - 119
+/- tolerance: 0.5 inches or 1.25 cm
Sash tie length
Lay sash/tie out flat away from the garment and measure from end to end.
Belt with buckle
Measure from the end of the pin of the buckle (where it touches the buckle) to the middle hole.
Belt without buckle
Measure from the belt portion end to end and half of the tie portion. This is will give you the medium size of the belt.
Download our printable ring sizing chart to find the perfect fit!
We refer to these items as "discounted wholesale". Such items carry a deeper wholesale discount than other items, and have greater potential to provide your business with healthier resale margins.
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WIN # 1 You Save!
Handmade goods from developing nations usually pass through a series of intermediaries before being purchased by retail consumers. Each of these intermediaries adds cost to the product, and that cost is passed on to the customer. UNICEF USA partnered with NOVICA, who works directly with artists through their regional offices in Asia, Africa and Latin America, allowing purchases from UNICEF Market to go directly from the artisans to fulfilling customer orders. By skipping steps in the traditional supply chain, you can buy high quality items for less than the regular retail prices.
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Each item purchased from UNICEF Market will benefit UNICEF's programs that provide lifesaving nutrition, medicine, education, clean water, emergency relief and more to children in need.
You can learn more about UNICEF's work, on About UNICEF.
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