Mothers In Action, Peru

Mothers In Action is based in the Peruvian Andes.  They are fair trade certified and for almost two decades they have been hiring groups of mothers to be able to work from home, while providing a better standard of living for their entire family.  Their vision is to produce beautifully designed products that also have the added value of Fair Trade. 

The wool they use comes from alpacas.  Many shepherds in the Peruvian Andes benefit from raising alpacas, which are native to the region. They do not need to cut down forests to create pasture, as these animals eat natural grass, called “Hichu,” that grows at altitudes of 4,000 meters above sea level and higher. Trees and other vegetation do not grow here, meaning there is no need to destroy the environment for pasture. Alpacas are not harmed in any way for their wool. They are shorn – just like getting a haircut. This process creates a happy life for alpacas, better incomes for shepherds, and a healthier, cleaner planet.

Other ways they are dedicated to sustainability in their process is: 

• The buttons and accessories they use are 100% natural, made from the seeds of palm trees in the Amazon Rainforest. Native people from the jungle hand-pick these seeds, and carve them into beautiful shapes and designs to sell.

• They are dedicated to always try to minimize the use of artificial products, along with machines that produce smoke and pollute the environment. 

• They encourage the mothers they work with to recycle, and teach their children to help preserve the planet, in order to be examples to their communities.