Awana Wasinchis Fair Trade
Awana Wasinchis Fair Trade
4.5
Full view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
4.5
13 reviews
Excellent
11
Very good
0
Average
0
Poor
1
Terrible
1
Rachel
1 contribution
Aug 2019 • Friends
What a scam. Beware if you are using a credit card. She will tell you prices in Peruvian sol and charge your card in US dollars. The woman stated she was charging sol and come to find out she charged my card in US dollars. She make an extra US dollars by lying. BEWARE. Verify multiple times if using a card or just pay in cash.
Written August 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
stephandev
Nantucket, MA5 contributions
Dec 2017
In an effort to shop responsibly while in Cusco we made a special trip to check this store out. While supportive of the mission of the store, it is a small space with limited offerings. However, worth stopping in if you are in the neighborhood.
Written December 11, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
biscuit069
London, UK59 contributions
Oct 2017 • Family
We stumbled across this tiny shop today on our way to the San Blas area of Cusco. So, so glad we popped in.
There are beautiful woven textiles, bags, knitted hats, gloves, mittens, dolls. It was lovely to see the quality of stuff on offer and the background behind each item. So different to some of the tourist shops.
Lovely, non pushy mother and son run the shop, with 80% of the sale going back to the creator of the goods.
There are beautiful woven textiles, bags, knitted hats, gloves, mittens, dolls. It was lovely to see the quality of stuff on offer and the background behind each item. So different to some of the tourist shops.
Lovely, non pushy mother and son run the shop, with 80% of the sale going back to the creator of the goods.
Written October 29, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cgwhitelaw
Ollantaytambo, Peru11 contributions
Mar 2017 • Solo
I agree with all the previous great reviews and would just like to add that they do now have a sign over the door. The shop was very small but had an abundance of hats, belts and mittens at reasonable prices. There was not much of a selection of women's sweaters or ponchos but I would check out their inventory before shopping elsewhere. Walkable from plaza de la armas.
Written March 9, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lcdthethird
Cary, NC142 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
I absolutely love this place. One of the problems that you often run into traveling in South America is when you want to purchase an alpaca or sheep fur product you often do not know if the material is real or a blend. Sometimes you may get 40% alpaca and 60% cotton, but sellers market it as 100%.
Awana is different. First of all all the products here are made my local artisans who see 80% of the money you pay for any item. When you make a purchase here you will actually help locals. It is not like one of those super nice looking Ultra Alpaca stores all around Cusco where they probably use child labor and pay 1 sol an hour. 20% of the money you pay for a product goes to the store owners who are a lovely woman and her son. They happily will answer questions for you about the products.
Second, the products come with a tag that explains what village or pueblo it was made. It also tells you the name of the person who made it as well as the material. You will see baby alpaca, alpaca, and sheep. There are different style hats and gloves as well as some smaller gifts.
I bought a great hat and my girlfriend bought some gloves as presents. In addition the prices are very fair for all the products and you know you are getting real alpaca and not some fake blend.
Awana is different. First of all all the products here are made my local artisans who see 80% of the money you pay for any item. When you make a purchase here you will actually help locals. It is not like one of those super nice looking Ultra Alpaca stores all around Cusco where they probably use child labor and pay 1 sol an hour. 20% of the money you pay for a product goes to the store owners who are a lovely woman and her son. They happily will answer questions for you about the products.
Second, the products come with a tag that explains what village or pueblo it was made. It also tells you the name of the person who made it as well as the material. You will see baby alpaca, alpaca, and sheep. There are different style hats and gloves as well as some smaller gifts.
I bought a great hat and my girlfriend bought some gloves as presents. In addition the prices are very fair for all the products and you know you are getting real alpaca and not some fake blend.
Written November 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hoz49
Cebu City, Philippines729 contributions
May 2016 • Friends
This little shop owned my mother and son came highly recommended by a friend of mine. We stopped in to see what was offered and wound up purchasing 5 chollos for my grandchildren. Awana Wasinchis has a great selection of handmade textiles from small villages of the area. 80% of the money goes directly to the women who cut, clean, spin, dye and weave or knit the items, Fair Trade.
This is not the same, machine made bright colored dross available in the souvenir shops and mercados. The weavers yarns are natural dyed using plants and insects from the area. The result is intense but subtle colors woven in traditional designs that tell a story, of myth, family, pueblo and history.
Stop in for a visit, and I'm sure you'll be surprised at what this great little shop has to offer.
This is not the same, machine made bright colored dross available in the souvenir shops and mercados. The weavers yarns are natural dyed using plants and insects from the area. The result is intense but subtle colors woven in traditional designs that tell a story, of myth, family, pueblo and history.
Stop in for a visit, and I'm sure you'll be surprised at what this great little shop has to offer.
Written June 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yu243229
Toronto, Canada112 contributions
Sep 2015
I checked this shop out based on Tripadvisor reviews. The shop is located to the left of a youth hostel with the same address and unlike the photo, there was no sign on the door. If the door is closed, just knock. It is a coop and 80 percent of the income goes back to the members. If you are looking for well-priced handmade items, then this stop can't be missed. I was able to pick up nicely knitted mitts and gloves for between 20-40 Sols. Unlike a lot of the merchandise in the markets, the goods here are handmade and the tag provides some information about the weaver/knitter. They have a good selection of woven and knitted items. Peru is pretty pricey so be prepare to dig a bit deeper for nice souvenirs.
Written September 13, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KateConvissor
Whittemore, MI10 contributions
Apr 2015 • Solo
After wandering mindlessly in Cuzco's commercial circus, I stumbled across Awana Wasinchis. First, I noticed that its products were different. Colors were more subtle; quality was higher; the atmosphere in the tiny shop was quiet--unlike the shopping frenzy outside.
This is because, as other reviewers mentioned, Modesta and Rafael--the mother and son owners of Awana wasinchis, travel to remote mountain villages to buy traditional handwoven products. They buy from 12 villages and 250 weavers. Each piece is labeled with the name of the artisan and the community. They return 80 percent of profit to the weavers. It's hard to find work of this quality and authenticity even in the shopping mecca of Cuzco. And you are assured that the textile is honestly labeled (lots of merchants will tell you whatever they think you want to hear) and that the artisans are paid fairly for their work. The shop is on a corner near the main plaza toward the San Blas neighborhood. Calle Chihuampata 515. Totally worth a stop.
This is because, as other reviewers mentioned, Modesta and Rafael--the mother and son owners of Awana wasinchis, travel to remote mountain villages to buy traditional handwoven products. They buy from 12 villages and 250 weavers. Each piece is labeled with the name of the artisan and the community. They return 80 percent of profit to the weavers. It's hard to find work of this quality and authenticity even in the shopping mecca of Cuzco. And you are assured that the textile is honestly labeled (lots of merchants will tell you whatever they think you want to hear) and that the artisans are paid fairly for their work. The shop is on a corner near the main plaza toward the San Blas neighborhood. Calle Chihuampata 515. Totally worth a stop.
Written August 31, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
viracochalovesbach
Cusco, Peru2 contributions
Mar 2014 • Solo
It's worth seeking out this small fair trade shop in Cusco. I bought a gorgeous textile purse for 90 soles ($32.01 USD), knowing that 80% goes to the weaver from the Bombon community. The dyes are from natural plants, the fabric is 100% alpaca, and even has dried beans functioning as buttons to fasten the top. These weavers are in isolated communities that don't even have the option of 'cheating' with artificial dyes or machines.
There are so many artisan markets vying for your attention- probably mostly manufactured in factories in Lima. A few have artisan goods- that hardly support the artisans themselves. Considering you are buying direct from the organization that is in contact with the weavers, the prices are fairly comparable to non-fair trade goods.
There are so many artisan markets vying for your attention- probably mostly manufactured in factories in Lima. A few have artisan goods- that hardly support the artisans themselves. Considering you are buying direct from the organization that is in contact with the weavers, the prices are fairly comparable to non-fair trade goods.
Written March 24, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MsMirta
Berkeley, CA4 contributions
Oct 2013 • Solo
The textiles at Awana Wasinchis are mostly new yet carry on the traditions of the regions where the individual weavers live, on occasion with a contemporary twist. The quality is significantly higher than what you find in the more heavily touristed stores of Cusco. I bought a vintage weaving of a quality I hadn't seen elsewhere - the store has a number of older textiles - and a richly colored hat, new, with a peak at the top, fringe, and a high-spirited ornamental thingy woven on one side.
As satisfying as these purchases were, being able to hear about the store's history from the woman who established it made me even happier. She spoke of the time she had spent traveling to weaving villages, the long work of encouraging skilled weavers to agree to join together in a Fair Trade group and take the risk of opening a store. It was inspiring to learn a bit about the group's history, their principles, the risks they undertook and the satisfaction that they're now starting to find success. So I'm especially glad to have bought those things - and would encourage others to seek out this store. It shows none of the compromises with tradition or quality one sometimes sees in Fair trade shops. And buying there also supports the hopes and Fair Trade principles of the store's founder and its weavers.
Awana Wasinchis is located near the bottom of one of Cusco's famously narrow and steep streets, less than a 5 minute slow walk from the main walking street between the central plaza and San Blas. It's worth the slight detour to stop by.
As satisfying as these purchases were, being able to hear about the store's history from the woman who established it made me even happier. She spoke of the time she had spent traveling to weaving villages, the long work of encouraging skilled weavers to agree to join together in a Fair Trade group and take the risk of opening a store. It was inspiring to learn a bit about the group's history, their principles, the risks they undertook and the satisfaction that they're now starting to find success. So I'm especially glad to have bought those things - and would encourage others to seek out this store. It shows none of the compromises with tradition or quality one sometimes sees in Fair trade shops. And buying there also supports the hopes and Fair Trade principles of the store's founder and its weavers.
Awana Wasinchis is located near the bottom of one of Cusco's famously narrow and steep streets, less than a 5 minute slow walk from the main walking street between the central plaza and San Blas. It's worth the slight detour to stop by.
Written December 25, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Themis C
Sao Luis, MA663 contributions
ustedes tienen molduras para pinturas cusqueñas? he comprado dos y solamente uma moldura, ahora deseo outra original. ustedes enviam al brasil?
Themis C
Sao Luis, MA663 contributions
ellos tienen molduras para cusqueños y se envian a lo exterior? me fué a Cusco, he comprado solamente uma moldura y ahora deseo uma outra.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing