Home » About Mayu Alpaca Apparel

This social enterprise sells one-of-a-kind, hand-knit alpaca accessories produced by artisans in rural Peru. The company is the direct result of Chicago native Kate Robertson's time in the Peace Corps. The Mayu product line includes luxurious clothing made with the highest quality pure, eco-friendly alpaca fiber. The company is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation and we have a direct relationship with the knitters.

Falling in love with the artisans and their amazing skills, I decided to start Mayu in hopes of continuing to support them upon ending my service in the Peace Corps. Through Mayu, the artisans have been given the opportunity to earn fair wages and become more independent while doing what they both enjoy and excel in - knitting. 

The name Mayu, or river in Quechua (the native language of Mayu's artisans), represents the beauty of family and the preservation of environment. While in the Peace Corps, my Peruvian sister's name was Marijiori; she was nickenamed Mayu for short and in the valley just below her adobe  home passes the blessed Santa Ainin river. For pictures of Mayu and other exciting shots, visit our Flickr page.

I have spent many years forming a business relationship, and more importantly, friendships with our artisans. This business has been mutually beneficial. The artisans have been taught valuable business skills and are earning fair wages, while still being able to be with their children. They have given us a stronger awareness of struggles women have in developing countries to provide for their families, thus feeding our passion to keep Mayu growing and growing. Read to learn more about the process of knitting one of Mayu's accessories.

As an accessory addict and a Mayu devotee, I believe that once you wear a Mayu product, you will not want to take it off! Our items appeal to sophisticated, yet fun and informal individuals who are socially conscious and looking for one-of-a-kind pieces. Want to learn more? Read reviews of our products.

Enjoy!

Kate Robertson