Archive for the ‘Stuff Mayu Loves’ Category

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PEACE CORPS IN MADAGASCAR = CHOCOLATE

Sunday, November 20th, 2011

In the spirit of spreading the love for all the cool companies and products Mayu loves, I wanted to mention Madecasse, a company also started by past Peace Corps volunteers. The founders of Madecasse, who sell delicious chocolate (which is also presented very well), fell in love with their Peace Corps experience in Madagascar and decided to start their company to continue supporting the farmers with whom they worked. I don’t know about you, but I’m going for the Cinnamon & Sakay Chocolate bar. Yum!

The story behind Mayu is quite similar. I fell in love with the artisans and the whole experience and couldn’t get enough of the luxurious alpaca fiber that I was exposed to while living in the rural Andes. I really like Peace Corps related businesses and not-profit organizations. Just goes to show what an impact the Peace Corps has on both volunteers and host-country nationals.

For more on Mayu, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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Posted in Food, Mostly Peruvian, Stuff Mayu Loves | No Comments »

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE IN UGANDA

Monday, April 11th, 2011

I know I’ve been slacking on my Mayu blogging — although elections are happening as we speak in Peru, the country is growing quickly and our artisans are doing great, I’ve also been quite busy.

I am currently on a six week consulting gig in Kampala, Uganda where I am working with Solar Sister. Solar Sister is a social enterprise that is working to spread solar light in rural Uganda. Similar to Mayu, Solar Sister employs females and helps them to become successful entrepreneurs. There is a large need for an organization like Solar Sister as only about 1-5% of Ugandans actually have access to electricity…

While in the field, my team and I have a blog going so you can read more about the project HERE. I’m learning a lot in Uganda and once I return stateside, I’ll be back on track with Mayu!

For more on Mayu, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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Posted in Stuff Mayu Loves, Sustainability News, World's Working Women: Stories from the Field | No Comments »

PEACE CORPS, THE START OF MAYU, CELEBRATES 50

Thursday, March 31st, 2011

Peace Corps recently celebrated the agency’s 50th anniversary.  Nearly 20,000 people attended 740 parties in 76 countries around the world. From small gatherings of friends to street festivals, there are a myriad of ways that Peace Corps Volunteers celebrated their service.

“The Peace Corps completely changed everything in my life,” says Returned Peace Corps volunteer Anne Rimoin. “It changed who I was. It changed my perception of the world, and my perception of what I could do in the world.”

Peace Corps was the reason I started Mayu. I absolutely fell in love with all things Peru and Mayu has given me the opportunity to stay connected to the artisans (fabulous knitters) with whom I worked during my service.  A majority of my Peace Corps assignment was to help the knitters to understand both Western markets and Western customers.  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. There are many similar Peace Corps stories out there, which I love to hear…as cliche as it may sound, it really is a life changing experience.

Learn more about the Peace Corps and discover the origins of Mayu’s hand-knit alpaca accessories on our website.

For more on Mayu, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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Posted in Community Events, Mayu News!, Peace Corps Journals, Peru, Stuff Mayu Loves | No Comments »

ALPACA YARN & ALPACA WOOL — SOUTH AMERICA’S FINEST!

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

My parents are in Ecuador! My dad recently sent me this picture that he had taken at a high-end artisan shop in Quito. Check out the Alpaca, straight from the source — the Andes Mountains. Note the high price of this eco-friendly, uber warm, super soft alpaca yarn.  This is what we use in all of Mayu’s alpaca accessories. Along with Peru, Ecuador is one of the main alpaca yarn producers in the world. Fair Trade work is also taking place in Ecuador to provide work for talented artisans.

In the case for Mayu, our Alpaca yarn then travels a very long way until it reaches our customers in the form of  hats, scarves, shawls, wraps and throws. Learn more also about Mayu’s work in Peru, by meeting our knitters and discovering our stories from the Mayu blog.

For more on Mayu, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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CHICAGO FAIR TRADE & MAYU ALPACA!

Friday, March 11th, 2011

Fair Trade has for long been an organization that Mayu has been involved with.  After Peace Corps took me to Peru and after founding Mayu to help empower Andean knitters, I worked for Chicago Fair Trade (CFT) and sat on the executive board. This organization works to increase support for fair trade in the Chicago metro area through education, advocacy and targeted consumer campaigns.

CFT has come a long way since it was created in 2006. With only 24 founding members at inception, CFT has nearly tripled its number of member organizations by 2011. CFT now stands at 70 organizational members, including businesses, nonprofits, universities and student groups, and faith based organizations.

Profit and non-for-profit members of CFT agree that more could be achieved through one unified group than individual voices. They see the value of banding together with like-minded individuals and businesses to broaden and deepen the awareness of fair trade in the Chicago area, allowing U.S. customers to be exposed to and understand the impact that fair trade makes in poor countries.

Mayu is an enterprise built around Fair Trade ideology. By that, we understand more than just paying fair wages of our Peruvian artisans; we also contribute to social development to Andean villages, and help the knitters to leverage their skills without a need to leave their homes and families. Visit Mayu online shop for high-quality, one-of-a-kind, hand-knit alpaca clothing.

And, if you are in the Chicago area, don’t forget to get involved with Chicago Fair Trade. If you are in another city, check out what the local scene looks like. There is sure to be something Fair Trade Friendly in your own neighborhood!

For more on Mayu, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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HAPPY 8TH OF MARCH FROM MAYU!

Wednesday, March 9th, 2011

I know we are just a day late, but it Mayu’s mind, better late than never! Most of the world celebrates International Women’s Day, a tradition originally started in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. In different regions, the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women’s economic, political and social achievements.

In many regions, the day lost its initially political flavor, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother’s Day and St Valentine’s Day. Women’s Day, however, is much more inclusive – it is still a very common tradition in East Europe to bring flowers to everyone starting from school teachers and ending with colleagues. In other regions the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong and political and social awareness of the struggles of women worldwide are brought out and examined in a hopeful manner.

Standing for women’s economic and social empowerment in the Peruvian Andes, Mayu would like to join the worldwide celebration, and also recommend showing your appreciation to the women in your lives by gifting them high-quality, one-of-a-kind, hand-knit alpaca accessories. Your purchase gives our artisans an opportunity to earn fair wages and become more independent while doing what they both enjoy and excel in – knitting.

For more on Mayu, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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THE “ALPACA LOOK” PENETRATES HOLLYWOOD!

Wednesday, February 16th, 2011

Mayu’s friends send us really fun articles sometimes. Recently, I received the following pictures from the Internet in regards to Rihanna, perhaps trying to adopt the “alpaca look”. No, she is not wearing Mayu’s hand-knit, eco-friendly, fair trade alpaca accessories, yet. But, she sure would look cute in an alpaca creme ruffle scarf, one of Mayu’s best selling alpaca winter accessory.

Want to check out the article where we found this? See it here and find all your favorite famous people compared to animals! If you ask me, I think Rihanna did a pretty great job on this one. Do you have any amusing alpaca news? Send it our way, info@shopmayu.com

For more on Mayu, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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Posted in Mayu News!, Peru, Stuff Mayu Loves | No Comments »

DOCUMENTARIES! LEARN TO MAKE ONE & FILM PERU

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

In Chicago? Need something fun to do? Always wanted to make a documentary? I know I have and here at Mayu, we love documentaries!

If you answered yes, we have good news! A world-class filmmaker, story editor and consultant, Fernanda Rossi is holding a weekend workshop “Doing Your Doc: Diverse Visions, Regional Voices” in Chicago from 25th till 27th February. Fernanda Rossi has been a story consultant to over 300 films including two Academy Award Nominees, and author of the book Trailer Mechanics.

The workshop is highly recommended by Mayu’s friend and filmmaker (we always blog and talk about Mitch’s film, Soy Andina — watch it under your hand-knit, fair trade alpaca throw knit by Mayu’s artisans),  Mitchell Teplitsky. Mitch recently returned from a visit to see Mayu’s hand-knit, 100% alpaca shawls, scarves, hats, and more in production. Like us, Mitch and Fernanda have a great love for Peru. They  worked together in developing “Soy Andina,” a documentary about dance, and Peruvian and American cultures.

“Doing your Doc” is designed especially for media makers in the diverse and local communities of Illinois, preparing participants to receive production funding and apply to national professional programs while developing your unique stories and views. If you have a personal documentary idea, or social change community project that needs development, this seminar will be the right choice. The seminar is supported by grants, thus the participation fee is only $100 ($50 for students).” If I were in Chicago, I’d definitely be attending! Would love to document the Mayu story! Read more about the event!

For more,  find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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MAYU’S ALPACA YARN: NATURALLY STRONG

Saturday, February 5th, 2011

Mayu Customers have repeatedly prized us for great looking accessories that also have the distinctive characteristics as “cozy”, “warm” and “luxurious” (Read customer testimonials here). Beyond our lifestyle designs, handmade nature and overall coolness of our alpaca hats, scarves, hoodies and wraps, part of the credit should be given to the excellent material that Mayu’s artisans use – the alpaca fiber.

The Alpaca Research Foundation recently conducted a study on the properties of alpaca.  Fiber samples were taken from over 600 US alpacas, and compared to cashmere, wool and other materials. The results showed, without getting too technical, that compared to wool of similar fineness, alpaca was higher yielding, more heavily medullated (a distinctive feature of alpaca), longer, and therefore, considerably stronger.

Because of these positive properties, alpaca is an increasingly popular material for apparel and interior design and Mayu is proud to use the highest quality, 100% pure, eco-friendly, alpaca fiber in our hand-knit, fair trade winter fashion. Read more about the fiber here or experience it yourself by choosing some of our hand knitted, 100% Peruvian alpaca accessories (with free shipping till Valentine’s Day).

For more,  find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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KNITTING ALPACA SCARVES & DRINKING PISCO SOUR

Friday, February 4th, 2011

As a proud (or potential proud) owner of Mayu hand knitted, 100% Peruvian alpaca accessories, you probably would like to experience more Peruvian culture and understand the inspiration behind our Fair Trade, social enterprise that supports Peruvian knitters high in the Andes Mountains – I wonder if Mayu’s artisans are knitting and drinking Pisco Sours as we speak?! Eek…They definitely know how to multi-task, so I’m not so worried.

Here is one opportunity to get a further glimpse into Peru – this week Peru celebrates its national drink, Pisco Sour. We wrote about Pisco last year (who discovered Pisco, Chile or Peru?) so check that blog post out here.

Pisco Sour is a delicious drink (most people think so) made of pisco, lemon or lime juice, egg whites, syrup and bitters. Since 2003 this drink has earned own National day – celebrated the first weekend of February! Yay, starts tomorrow. If you happen to be in Lima, don’t miss large variety of events and festivals, offered by uncountable Peruvian bars and cafes or look for your favorite Peruvian restaurant close by your house. I’m sure they will have some sort of celebration as Peruvians love to have fun! And, as it is winter, don’t forget to bring your favorite Mayu alpaca scarf with you!

Here is our Pisco Sour recipe if you feel like doing a bit of experimentation!

Necessary ingredients:
* 2 fl oz (8 parts) Pisco
* 1 fl oz (4 parts) Lime juice
* 3/4 fl oz (3 part) Simple syrup
* 1 Egg white
* 1 dash Bitters

Preparation:
Shake hard or blend with ice and strain into glass. The bitters are an aromatic garnish topping the finished drink, put on top of pisco sour foam. See also the pisco sour battle.

Serve without ice and celebrate along with Peru!

For more, find us on Twitter, and Facebook, and hear more stories from the field on our Blog!

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