When I told Anne I was going to Ecuador for a month, she didn’t hesitate for a second—she (of course) decided to join me and my husband as we traveled back to our hometown, Cuenca! I’ve basically been raving about my hometown since I started working at Bare Naked Wools, so it really felt like it was meant to be.
Being from Cuenca, Ecuador—and studying Textile Design in a country often considered the heart of textile culture and handcrafts—you can imagine the kind of “crazy” assignments we had in school. One of the most meaningful parts of my studies was getting to know local artisans: their crafts, where to find them, and the people behind each technique. As students, we were encouraged to take these ancient methods and translate them into “modern” design, always blending tradition, culture, and contemporary fashion without losing the integrity of the craft—and even learning some of the techniques ourselves.
Little did I know that years later, everything I learned—and my passion for supporting these artisans—would become something I could actively share in real life. In the crafting community, there is such a deep appreciation for handmade work, and that’s one of the most beautiful parts of the community.
I’m beyond excited to finally introduce this brainchild of mine, and to have turned it into a tangible experience for anyone who supports this box.
When you think about Ecuador—and Cuenca in particular—most people don’t realize how much cultural richness can exist in such a small place. From the food, landscapes, architecture, traditions, people, and festivities, there is so much to discover. And within each of those, there’s an incredible variety: breathtaking mountains, waterfalls, and lakes; countless fruits, vegetables, and traditional dishes; unique traditional clothing that changes from town to town; and so many handcrafted techniques and artists—all within just a 50-mile radius.
So naturally, the idea for the Experience Box came together so easily, because there were so many meaningful elements we wanted to bring into it.
What makes it even more special is that each item was sourced person to person, directly from the artisans and makers themselves. I can’t wait to share more about each piece, because every single one has its own story behind it.
Ecuador in a Box started as an idea during our trip—and at first, Anne didn’t quite know what I meant when I brought it up. But after experiencing everything firsthand, it was hard to say no to something like this. She quickly fell in love with the artisans, the craftsmanship, the materials, the sustainability, and most importantly, the people behind it all.
Before I continue, I want to emphasize again that each item in this box is uniquely handmade. Our goal has always been to support the artists by sharing their work and their stories with a wider community.
And if you’ve seen our podcast, you already know we’re even dreaming about a possible retreat to Cuenca, Ecuador!
So before diving in, I just want to say thank you to Anne for giving me the opportunity to share my hometown with the crafting community. I truly believe anyone who loves handmade work will enjoy this box—and the stories inside every box.
La Casa de la Makana (Makana House)
Makana House is a textile studio located in Gualaceo, a nearby town about 35 minutes from Cuenca. This is a family-owned business specializing in a traditional technique called Ikat, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The process begins by knotting the fibers to create a sort of “resist” or negative effect, where the knotted sections ultimately form the motifs once the yarn is dyed and woven.
One of the most fascinating parts of the Makana House tour is the dyeing process. As you can see, they use entirely natural ingredients to create a rich palette of colors in their yarn—from plants and vegetables to minerals, and even insects (yes, really!).
This is cochineal, an insect found on mountain cactus. It’s widely used in natural dyeing processes—many textile dyers rely on it for its rich red tones—but it’s also used in food coloring and cosmetics.
Woven Baskets
You’ll often find Zoila working on a new craft every day you visit. She is in the Artisan Plaza from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., tending to her small shop. When I asked her how she comes up with her beautiful color combinations, she laughed and said
I don't plan ahead, i just work with whatever materials are available at the moment.
And I think that says so much about her work—every basket she creates is truly one of a kind. I didn’t find a single basket that was exactly the same, not even in size; some were larger, some smaller, all uniquely different. But the quality of her weaving was consistently outstanding.
Inside the Experience Box, the entire collection is contained within one of Zoila’s handwoven baskets. These baskets are made using a thicker straw than the one used for Panama hats—typically a vegetable fiber that is cooked, sun-dried, then naturally dyed and worked by hand.
The process behind the straw comes from the same traditional techniques used for Panama hats, but it’s adapted using thicker fibers that are better suited for sturdier pieces like baskets and small toys. As you can see here, this is the straw used in both hats and baskets—known as paja toquilla.
Once the plant is harvested, the sorting process begins. This step actually takes place with another family that operates a toquilla plantation on the coast of Ecuador. They supply the raw material to artisans, who then complete the finishing work—creating a collaborative system between different craftspeople.
As you can see here, the plant is first gently beaten to loosen the fibers, and then it is sorted into two categories: the finer, hat-quality fibers, and the thicker fibers, which are used for baskets and toys.
The fibers are then boiled in water with potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃), along with small amounts of other naturally occurring alkaline salts. This creates a mild alkaline solution that helps break down plant gums and pectins, softens the fibers, and makes them easier to split. After boiling, the fibers are laid out to sun-dry.
And finally, once the fibers are dried, they become sturdy and ready to be either left in their natural tone or dyed.
In Zoila’s case, she dyes the plant fibers before weaving them into her stunning baskets. She often combines natural and colored tones, creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind patterns in each piece.
Each kit comes in a large handwoven basket that holds all the items, along with a smaller inner box. Inside the mini box, you’ll find shredded Palo Santo (often called “Holy Wood”), a natural incense found in South America. You’ll also find additional instructions inside the box.
Weaved Beaded Bracelets
This is María! She creates handcrafted pieces using only beads and seeds, weaving them into intricate designs. This is a traditional technique from Saraguro, a town near us known for its beautiful jewelry-making. These pieces are often worn as part of traditional dress, as well as smaller jewelry for everyday wear or special occasions.
Although this is María’s shop, she also works in collaboration with a women’s shelter to produce much of her inventory. The shelter is dedicated to supporting women who have experienced domestic violence, with the goal of helping them rebuild independence through craft.
They provide training in artisan techniques, allowing women to develop skills, apply for artisan grants, and eventually earn an income by selling their own products. The shelter operates as a collaborative space where knowledge is shared—women learn directly from artisans like María, who teaches her techniques and helps pass them on to others.
Horse Hair Brushes
Meet Eva. We actually have a short video of her showing us her craft—she works with everything you can imagine made from horsehair, from woven jewelry to brushes, lint brushes, strainers, and more.
She works alongside her father in their shop, though she is the one who primarily carries the craft forward today. Her father taught her, as well as other members of her family in Quito, and she continues to preserve and grow the tradition.
All of Eva’s pieces are made from 100% horsehair and then dyed using natural ingredients. In the podcast episode we recorded about the Experience Box, she shares more about her craft and the plants she uses for dyeing.
You can find the podcast on YouTube or Spotify, and Eva’s segment begins at 56:05. Link to the video and section here:
https://youtu.be/x77TtjyLPUg?si=RgCdxsZoUweC6wWz&t=3366
Cajas Sport
So naturally, being in the knitting and yarn world, we thought—there has to be someone in Cuenca working with alpaca fiber. And yes, we visited a lot of yarn shops, and believe me when I say that high-quality, 100% natural wool—especially alpaca—is not easy to come by (or at least not in Cuenca).
Most yarn production in Ecuador actually comes from a city called Otavalo, about two hours from Quito, the capital. As I mentioned earlier, Ecuador has such a rich diversity of crafts, and each town is often “known” for something specific.
Cuenca, for example, is known for its architecture, textile handcrafts like weaving and embroidery, poetry, and incredible food. But travel just a bit, and you’ll find towns known for leatherwork, others for yarn production, and so on.
What’s really special—just as a side note—is how proud people are of their local craft. There’s a deep cultural knowledge and appreciation for these traditions, and each community truly honors what they are known for.
So back to the yarn, when we found Patricia and her small boutique, we were beyond excited. Hearing about her alpaca farm, located in the mountains a few hours outside the city, made it even more special.
Patricia has a yarn shop in downtown Cuenca, where she mainly sells finished garments—beautiful sweaters and pieces knitted by her community. She does carry some yarn, but she mentioned that because of the high quality of her fiber, it’s difficult to produce it in large quantities.
She collaborates with many artisans who use her alpaca fiber to create a variety of products, which she then showcases in her shop. It’s another beautiful example of the collaborative nature of the work.
She and her husband own over 250 alpacas, and they’ve recently begun working with a shoe company that creates fabric from alpaca fiber—an organization focused on sustainability and high-quality materials. Because much of her fiber is sourced for Juntos.co, the amount she has available for skeins is quite limited.
The alpacas she raises are two types: Suri alpacas, which are more rare and known for their long, silky, incredibly soft fleece, and Huacaya alpacas, which are the more common type you typically find in yarn.
Because of this, the yarn she produces can vary from 100% Suri to blends of both fibers. However, since her alpaca is so soft, it can have a lot of drape when used on its own—especially for garments like sweaters. To add more structure, she often blends it with other fibers, particularly merino wool.
In her shop, you’ll find some 100% alpaca pieces, but these are usually smaller accessories like hats or cowls, where that softness and drape really shine.
Each box includes a skein of Cajas Sport—you can already feel how incredibly soft it is just by squishing it. But when we visited Patricia’s shop, she showed us a sample sweater made from it, and it was even softer than the skein. This yarn truly blooms once it’s knit, washed, and blocked.
We were also able to secure a limited number of extra skeins in case you’d like to make a sweater, additional projects, or even try some colorwork. Quantities are very limited—we have only 50 kits and 50 additional skeins—so be sure to grab what you need while it’s available.
Chola Cuencana Doll
As I mentioned before, each town has its own craft—but beyond that, each also has its own traditions and traditional dress. In Cuenca, the traditional outfit is worn by women known as Cholas. They are a group of Indigenous women who play a vital role in the community, often working in farming and crafts.
If you visit the markets, you’ll often see them selling fruits and vegetables, running food stands, and sometimes even offering traditional cleansing rituals meant to clear negative energy.
Their traditional costume is so emblematic and unique that it is often rented for school plays, parades, and special events, where people wear it proudly as a symbol of cultural representation. You wouldn’t typically see a college student wearing it to class, but rather in cultural celebrations, festivals, or even in city branding and tourism initiatives.
However, for the Cholas, this attire is everyday wear. Unlike others who bring it out (or rent it) for special occasions, they wear their traditional clothing as part of their daily life.
Their traditional outfit is made up of large A-line pleated skirts called polleras. These are typically crafted from wool or velvet-like fabrics, making them quite heavy, and are often richly decorated with embroidery along the edges—although some versions are more minimal and do not include detailed trimming.
They also wear a straw hat, commonly known as a Panama hat, paired with a lace blouse, a Makana shawl, and traditional jewelry. Many also wear candongas, a type of filigree earring that is highly distinctive in local craftsmanship.
A fascinating detail is that the design of the skirt—especially the embroidery and finishing—can indicate where someone is from. For example, Cuenca skirts are known for their dense embroidery and scalloped or shell-like edges, while in Gualaceo (Town where the Makanas are made) the embroidery style is noticeably different. In this way, you can often identify a woman’s hometown simply by observing the details of her pollera.
Of course, you won’t typically see the most heavily detailed skirts worn in everyday life. These are usually reserved for special occasions such as weddings, parties, and important cultural events. In some cases, the level of embroidery and craftsmanship can also reflect social status.
When I asked about the price of a heavily embroidered skirt, I was told they can range anywhere from $600 to $1,200, depending on the detail and work involved.
When we visited Chordeleg with Anne, we even happened to see a wedding where some guests were wearing these traditional outfits, which made the experience feel even more special and authentic.
The wedding we saw was in the town of Chordeleg, a place known for its filigree jewelry. As you can see here, the women are wearing similar traditional skirts, but the embroidery details differ slightly from those shown in other parts of this blog.
And more!
Although I would love to continue sharing more about all the other pieces included in the Experience Box, I could go on forever—but I’ll highlight a few more.
The box also includes organic chocolate from Paccari Chocolate. Ecuador is known for its exceptional cacao, considered among the best in the world. Paccari Chocolate was founded by a brother-and-sister team who began by crafting chocolate bars and later became known for their creative infusions and flavors such as rose, salt, and mint. Today, they are internationally recognized and have won multiple awards for their chocolate.
The kit also includes fruit tea infusions made with ingredients sourced from Ecuador, as well as small artisan pieces from Carmen’s Museum, featuring miniature artworks created by local artists.
I hope you enjoyed this cultural blog about Cuenca and that you love this very special box. I can’t wait to hear what everyone thinks when they receive it!
We also have a full podcast where we talk about Anne’s trip, and we even include an interview we did with Carmen. Be sure to check it out—I’m sure you’ll find it really interesting!
Watch or Podcast Episode about Anne's Trip here:
https://youtu.be/x77TtjyLPUg?si=9OGkNNiooJT5JRb6
Watch our Interview with Carmen here:
