The cornerstone of our success at Indigenous is the partnerships we share with our Peruvian artisans. These sustainable, fairtrade businesses allow us to prioritize the ethics we value while supporting local craftspeople in Peru. Sama Knits is one of these essential partnerships. As creators of women-led, fairtrade certified, sustainable fashion, the artisans at Sama Knits embody our core principles while creating chic, unique knits made to last for years to come.
Who is Sama Knits?
Sama Knits is a small, Peru-based company that’s been creating specialty knits for over ten years. Founded by Eunice Moran, this business is not only women-led but female-focused, with programs set in place to help women in the local Peruvian community flourish. Their dedication to assisting women is equally matched by their commitment to creating sustainable clothing with fairtrade practices. Each of their pieces is made with the utmost regard for the garment, the artisans who make them, and the planet as a whole.
Women-focused
One of our favorite qualities of Sama Knits is their dedication to improving women's lives. They are steadfast in their efforts to teach women the skills they need to generate their own economic power and a steady source of income. To accomplish this goal, Sama Knits holds hand-knit and embroidery lessons that empower local women with jobs that have fair wages and allow them to work from or near home to spend more time with their families.
The goal of these classes is to create a long-lasting ripple effect, allowing these essential knitting skills to be passed from the women in each class to those in their families, friend groups, and the surrounding community for generations to come. The wages provided from knitting not only empower each of these artisans as women but as mothers by creating opportunities to invest in their children’s education, health, and well-being. Sama Knits' work with local women makes them a company we’re genuinely proud to partner with.
Upholding Peruvian Tradition
Founder Eunice Moran has got her start in the clothing industry, making alpaca sweaters and garments using Peruvian fabrics and techniques. She carried the tradition into her own business and now utilizes the same practices to design their signature, richly colored knits. Sama’s artisans specifically use handloom and hand weaving to maintain and enhance longstanding traditional production methods that generate exceedingly unique, high-quality garments. Maintaining these art forms is not only crucial for the people in these regions of Peru, but for everyone, as the entire fashion industry benefits from the artistry they create.
In addition to utilizing traditional practices, Sama knits also incorporates customary Peruvian fibers naturally available in the region, like alpaca, soft highland wool, Pima cotton, and more. They, as we do, believe that most of the world’s most luxurious materials are also natural and sustainable. These fabric choices both uphold Peruvian tradition and increase sustainability because of the high, long-lasting quality innate to natural-fiber clothing.
Fairtrade Certified
On principle, we only partner with fair-trade certified companies, and Sama Knits is no different. Their commitment to ethical fashion means that they go beyond investing in training to ensure zero child labor, no discrimination, fair wages at every step, and facilities that meet labor security standards.
Fairtrade certified means that Sama Knits is held to rigorous standards, which drive income sustainability, community and individual well-being, empowerment, and environmental protection. This focus on workers’ health, satisfaction, and safety is becoming increasingly scarce in a world inundated with fast fashion. Unlike most manufacturers, Sama Knits produces beautiful handmade clothing without sacrificing their humanity or ethics.
Our Sama Knits Favorites
Besides being a shining example of ethical clothing, Sama Knits simply makes effortlessly stunning fashion. From chic sweaters to timeless ponchos, each other their designs possess a unique style all their own. Here are just a few of our Sama favorites:
Long Lace Cardigan
Turtleneck Poncho
Textured Vest
Pleated Short Sleeve Sweater 
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