Adrian and Maria Pineda live and work in Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Seen here with Yannina of Manos Amigas

Lake Titicaca is not only very beautiful but at 3820m above sea level it is the highest navigable lake in the world and South America’s largest lake –170km long and 60 km wide.

People live here on floating islands made of reeds you can eat! Layers of these reeds are replenished from the top as the lower layers rot. They also make a very environmentally friendly and silent form of transport that can be used for several months before it starts to decompose.

Adrian and Maria have a small courtyard and workshop behind a shabby door on a busy traffic filled street in Puno.

For the last 15 years Adrian and his wife Maria have run a family weaving business creating scarves, shawls and blankets. Natural colours are used – no dyeing is required.

Although Adrian is unable to read and write he can draw designs. He teaches other artisans and loves to share his knowledge and skills.

Manos Amigas have helped Adrian and Maria to develop their business and now buy around 30% of their output. They have helped by providing training with business administration. This is a partnership that is based on fair trade and mutual respect.

How is a scarf made?

Natural products are used throughout – even looms are made of woodFirst the alpaca fibre is washed and combed to check for irregularities that are carefully cut out

Alpacas are a variety of colours, from white to black with varying shades and mixes of brown and grey. An adult alpaca stands about 3ft at the shoulder. They produce a superb fleece of fine strong fibre which grows down to the ground if not clipped. Alpaca hair gives excellent thermal insulation; in its native environment, in 24 hours, the animal may endure night temperatures as low as -20°C. During the day high altitude mountain atmosphere allows temperatures to soar to 18°C.

Unlike wool and cashmere, alpaca hair is hollow allowing the air trapped inside to expand and contract with temperature variations. When compared with lambswool, mohair or cashmere, alpaca is lighter and far warmer on a weight by weight basis

Wool is spun and then woven

Loom is 40 years old, the scarves are woven in one long strip and cut up later

Wool is stretched between two poles in the courtyard to set up the warp which is transferred to the loom in the workshop. The warp is the strands of wool that run lengthways along the scarf and through which the weft is woven.

Adrian aims to produce 7 or 8 scarves in a day, on one long roll

Scarves are measured to check the quality and finished with a wire brush to soften them before their long journey to the UK and waiting customers

Can be seen in a Tearcraft catalogue very near you…!!