Green Options » inca kids

Adorable, Fair Trade Peruvian Clothes and Toys by Inca Kids

Jennifer Lance — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:10:09 +0000

This is actually the second time we have had the pleasure of reviewing Inca Kids‘ products, and we are pleased to see their fair trade, Peruvian line expanding. My son and I are in love with the super soft, uber adorable scarf from “Casa Betania”. Adorned with cars, this scarf is sure to please any little one and fair trade discerning parent. Made from alpaca and acrylic yarns, this scarf is not itchy and carefully crafted by women in Peru. Casa Betania:

Started as a way to assist women with lack of emotional and financial support in some of the most unprivileged areas in Lima.
On December 4, 1990 they started making jute cartridge pouches, then they learned to embroider and sew, some women brought their tools, also fixed the schedule from 2 to 7 p.m. and wages. The group that started with 7 women, grew into a group of 23 women selling their products to churches. Cáritas of France donated 2 sewing machines and libraries as well a provided some financial support.

Fabulous Fair Trade Inca Kids

Jennifer Lance — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:35:30 +0000

Kelli first wrote about Inca Kids in her post “Three Fair Trade Toy Companies“. Inca Kids is fair trade project supporting unprivileged Peruvian artisans. Gilda Pedraza of Inca Kids explains:

I am not selling products; I am offering the opportunity to directly support a poor family in Peru every time you buy something. With every purchase you are saying YES to an artisan interested in keeping his or her lifestyle; you are saying YES to that single mother trying to make a living while taking care of her children, you are saying YES to all of them when you choose to buy fair trade.

My family recently received three wonderful products from Inca Kids made from 100% alpaca wool or 100% Peruvian cotton and eco-friendly color dyes. These handmade goods are made from artisans. The finger puppets are a big hit with my children, who immediately got out the puppet theater and put on a grand show when they arrived. My three-year-old son, who hates to wear hats, loves his Inca Kids hat! My daughter is enamored with her Cholita doll (thank goodness it’s not a Disney Princess) and wants to ask our Peruvian friend Cecilia if she has a dress like the doll’s. She took Cholita to school to show her first grade class, which prompted a discussion at home about Peru, fair trade, and the Incas in preparation.

I like my children’s toys to be unique and handmade. By supporting artisans and not large toy corporations, I am living more sustainably and teaching my children to appreciate human crafts. Inca Kids bridges that gap between the artisans in Peru and my family’s green values.

Three Fair Trade Toy Companies

Kelli Best-Oliver — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:59:53 +0000

I StumbleUpon-ed Inca Kids the other day and loved their products, particularly those geared towards children. The company is fair trade, and they get their products from Peruvian craftspeople. This got me thinking about fair trade toys. With all the justified hoopla around toxins from Made-In-China plastic toys on shelves in the U.S., fair trade toys seem like a safe, sustainable alternative that facilitate imagination in children. Jennifer wrote about this cute fair trade hippo earlier this fall Here’s a brief rundown of few companies that feature fair trade toys for children:

* Inca Kids has adorable puppets, dolls, musical instruments, and books made in Peru. My favorite are the bunny gloves/puppets–they’re too cute!