The Peruvian textile tradition is probably the oldest in the world. Thousands of years of history surprise us.

Peru is a country that weaves its history and the Peruvian chronicle is influenced by the Alpaca fiber.

The Poncho is traditional Peruvian heritage, it is the typical clothing of Peru. It is a coat of simple design. A rectangular piece of thick cloth, in the center of which a cut is made to introduce the head. The cloth is let fall over the body, arranging the ends in a way that allows the arms to move freely.

It is believed that the etymological source of the word Poncho is the Castilianization of the Quechua word Punchu. But before the Incas existed, ponchos already existed. The poncho encloses in its weave the secret history of the Peruvian people.

The poncho appears, at least 1000 years before Christ, in Paracas and was used as an offering during burials. In the different pre-Columbian cultures, special importance was given to the clothes that were to accompany you to the afterlife. The clothes were made to last beyond death. They were made with alpaca fiber to resist all eternity.

The Peruvian poncho as we know it today, comes from the early seventeenth century is supposedly a variation of the Unku, a variety of vest with a central opening, which would have been transformed into a kind of tunic.

Peru is a very large territory, with a very different climate and as varied as the climate is, so are the Peruvian ponchos.

The beliefs, culture and habits of the Peruvian people can be seen in the shape, size, texture and colors of the ponchos. In some areas of the country the small red stripes represented the blood of the son of the Sun and the Earth. In other areas, the white color symbolized the spirit and the black and blue colors allude to the sky where the spirit comes to rest while the green color symbolized agriculture.

The type of poncho called Huañuy was used as a mourning poncho, it is designed with small red stripes that represented the blood and the Earth. The Cushma poncho is a small poncho, used for travelling, it is black or navy blue and has red, green and white drawings on the edges.

The heavy ponchos used in Cajamarca do not get soaked in the rain and are as long as those used in Puno. On the other hand, in Cuzco, the ponchos are much shorter and are recognized by their geometric figures, almost always with a red background. On the Peruvian coast, ponchos were used in the plantations, these ponchos are made of cotton fiber.

In the Peruvian jungle, both men and women of some tribes wear the cushma, a loose tunic sewn on both sides at the shoulders and adorned with dyes and geometric figures typical of the Amazon.

The poncho is part of everyday life in South America and has been incorporated even in the expressions: "Que no te pisen el poncho " ("Don't let them stepon your poncho ") ...."Raising the poncho"(rebel against the established power). Even when we want to refer to a place far away, we use the expression; "..." (rebel against the established power).Where the devil lost the poncho«…

The poncho is not a trend, it is not a passing crush that came to be present for three or four seasons in the big brands that decide the fashion trend. The poncho has been in fashion for thousands of years and has been a basic garment.The 21st century will be the century of the globalization of the poncho.

Do you already have your poncho? .....

Durability, Variety, Eternal fashion. Be Alpaca. Be Peru