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What Does "Made in Peru" Even Mean?

The majority of Misha & Puff products rely on Peruvian land, farms, and artisans to bring our products to life. This is intentional and reflects our commitment to Free Trade principles by working with producers in developing countries and achieving equitable and sustaining trade relationships with them.

Peru became the obvious choice for producing our products, thanks to its long history in textiles. And Peruvians recognize that resources are precious, that waste isn't an option, and that doing quality work is the onlyway to approach a craft, whether it's hand knitting, farming, making shoes, or hand-dyeing yarn.

So when our label says “Made in Peru,” this label reflects . . .

The artisans' love for their craft. Peruvian artisans never fail to WOW us with their quality handiwork. When we say they’re world-class artisans, we're not exaggerating.  

Techniques and/or materials produced in Peru. Whether it's hand-dyed yarn or locally grown pima cotton or the sole of a shoe being expertly sanded and carved to fit that shoe, the techniques and materials that go into making our products celebrate the country's rich textile heritage. 

The passion and commitment of our partners. We choose partners in Peru who share our values. It's always about creating quality products and working ethically.

Our hearts. For us, Peru isn't simply a place to make stuff. The Peruvians inspire and share our vision for the way we wantto make our products.

How We Design & Develop Our Products

Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do.

The visionary behind Misha & Puff is our founder and creative director, Anna Wallack. You've probably seen her on Instagram. :)  

If you're not familiar with Anna’s story, here's the short of it: After Anna's first child was born, she knitted him clothes that he would be cozy andcomfortable in (no itchy yarns!). Let's just say . . . word got around about Anna's gorgeous knits. Anna started knitting clothes for a couple of boutique shops, but, as you can imagine, that ended up being too much for one person to handle.

Anna wanted to make these gorgeous knits available to a wider audience. She also wanted to use quality, responsibly sourced materials while practicing Fair Trade principles. She rolled up her sleeves, researched, and reached out to potential partners/vendors, and Misha & Puff was born. (OK, maybe it didn't happen as quickly or as smoothly as that sentence suggests. But you get the idea.)

Today, Anna continues to serve as Misha & Puff's Creative Director. She works closely with the rest of the Misha & Puff team as well as our artisan partners in Peru to design and develop our products.

Here's some insight into the process . . .

When we design an item, we're usually envisioning multiple pieces that go together in a certain style. We then work closely with our artisan partners to make sure the design is translated appropriately.

Our partners collaborate with us on designs and colors. They are truly the experts at what they do, whether it's hand knitting, making shoes, or developing colors for our hand-dyed yarn. We welcome their suggestions and ideas because they make our designs even better

It's sample time! The artisans make a sample and send it to us along with initial pricing. Yes, our partners tell us how much things will cost, not the other way around. Bet you weren't expecting that, right? No, the price point doesn't always work for us. We've had to abandon designs for that reason. But we can also communicate concerns to our partners. And sometimes there are things they can do with a design (for example, shortening a section) that can make a difference. Collaboration is essential. If we dictated an unrealistic and unfair price point to our partners, someone on their end would lose out, like the artisans. That's NOT the way we want to do business.

If the sample looks great and the pricing works for our line, we include it. We work with the knitters and our vendors on fair pricing that works for all of us, meaning everyone who is involved in the process from start to finish.

From there, we discuss capacity and timing and place a purchase order! This is truly an exciting moment for everyone involved in the process. There’s nothing quite like bringing an idea to life and knowing we’ll be releasing it into the world.

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