Allpa

Established in 1986 Allpa are a private trading company acting as a direct connection between the global market and Peruvian crafts people.

Allpa (from a Quechua Indian word meaning ‘earth') currently work with 100 handicraft workshops, with a mission to make the production of handicrafts a source of sustained employment for a major sector of the Peruvian population.

Allpa helps to fight against poverty by also providing loans; skills training and technical help as well as advice about fashion trends to enable artisans to develop their products.

Their beautiful silver jewellery is entirely handmade in a delicately and highly skilled process. Silver is cast with copper and liquid silver is poured into the moulds to make it into the sheets or threads, which are then adjusted to gain the desired thickness. The silver is cut and then shaped by beating or engraving. Stones are set and polishing; burnishing or ageing finishes the piece.