PERU – ONE COUNTRY, THREE WORLDS
Peru stretches from the Pacific across the peaks of the Andes to the Amazon rainforest. Hardly any other country combines such diverse landscapes in such a small area. The fibers of Casa APUKAI come from two of them: the coast and the highlands.
THREE WORLDS
Along the coast stretches a desert, intersected by fertile river valleys where Pima cotton grows. Beyond that, the Andes rise to more than six thousand meters, with valleys, plateaus, and the Puna, home to the alpaca and vicuña. And to the east, the rainforest begins. Three worlds, one country.
THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE STATE
The Peruvian coat of arms features three symbols representing the country's wealth: the cinchona tree for the flora, a cornucopia overflowing with coins for the mineral resources, and the vicuña for the fauna. Its image has been on the coat of arms since 1825. It is the national animal of Peru, a symbol already revered by the Incas.
SIX THOUSAND YEARS OF TEXTILES
On the northern coast of Peru, archaeologists found cotton textiles that are around six thousand years old, dyed with indigo, earlier than anywhere else in the world. The cotton in them is the same species from which Pima is produced today. From there, an unbroken line leads through the mantles of Paracas and the fine textiles of the Inca right up to the present day.
THE ROOMS OF THE HOUSE
Lima is located on the coast, where design and craftsmanship converge. Arequipa, the White City, connects the coast to the highlands. Cusco, the former center of the Inca, preserves the ancient knowledge of fibers. And above that, at more than four thousand meters, lies the highland where it all begins.