WHO WE ARE
Shupaca is the design collaboration of husband and wife tandem, Andrew and Lori Schuster. Both young architects, they traveled off the beaten track in search of a chance to reinvent. Ecuador and Peru brought about an unexpected immersion to the vibrant socio-cultural heritage of South America, and the discovery of an extraordinary fabric called, Alpaca.
Forming a brand that combines their environment-conscious minds and their dedication to fair trade and responsible business practices, Shupaca combines the couple’s surname and their esteemed product of choice, Alpaca fur.
Upholding this ancient tradition in fashion while injecting creative contemporary details, Shupaca works with South American artisans and their families to ensure products that exude indigenous quality while remaining fashionably relevant to the here and now. All products are hand woven on wood looms using the same methods that have been practiced for hundreds of years. Shupaca presents a full catalog of solid and printed scarves, shawls, blankets, hats gloves and other accessories that promise to revamp and complete daily wardrobes, regardless of the season or climate.
OUR GOAL
Our goal is to bring you one of the world's finest natural materials in uniquely designed and handcrafted goods while promoting fair trade and supporting social and economic advancement for the artisans we work with.
WHY IS YOUR COMPANY CALLED “SHUPACA”?
Our name came from a morph of our last name with the product name: Schuster + alpaca = Shupaca! Catchy- right?
DO YOU PRACTICE FAIR TRADE?
Absolutely! We work directly with artisans to produce our designs. Not only are they fairly compensated, they are paid directly without other companies or political figures taking a piece of the pie that isn’t theirs. We strive to support our artisan communities with social and economic advancement.
*Currently there are no official certificates of Fair Trade in the U.S. For more information please visit the TransFair website:http://www.transfairusa.org
WHO MAKES YOUR PRODUCTS? ARE THEY HANDMADE?
We work directly with skilled Indigenous artisans in a small communities of Peru and Ecuador. We are involved in all of the steps of creating of our designs, from the alpaca fiber to the hands of the artisans. Most of our products are handcrafted and produced in small batches using sustainable production practices. We use the same traditional production methods that they have used for hundreds of years in parts of our production. These guys know what they are doing!
