Kuna – The Gold of the Andes

Llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas are "the Gold of the Andes". In former times, the South-American camelids were a gift from nature for the inhabitants of the Andean inhabitants. They represented a vital source of food and clothing. Without them the survival in the inhospitable, harsh environments of the Andes would not have been possible. The Andes is the longest continental mountain range in the world on the western coast of South America. This range is about 7,000 km long, about 200 km to 700 km wide, and with an average height of approximately 4,000 m. The Andes mountains form a north-south axis of cultural influences. A long series of cultural development culminated in the expansion of the Inca civilization and Inca Empire in the central Andes during the 15th century. For thousands of years cotton and wool from llamas, alpacas, guanacos, and vicuñas have been woven into elaborate textiles in the Andes. Kuna tribal members of Panama and Colombia are famous for their molas, cotton panels with elaborate geometric designs created by a reverse applique technique.

Against this background Oliver Patthey and Hugo Corzo Morales established a textile company to produce and promote the merits of alpaca fiber in 1957. Over time the company developed into “Grupo Inca”, which is immersed in diverse industrial, commercial and cultural activities, including textiles, agriculture, tourism, health and trading, offering products and services linked to the cultural identity of Peru. Despite product and market diversification the breeding of the animals, the processing and the manufacturing of high quality finished garments from the fibres of the four South-American camelids (llamas, alpacas, guanacos, vicunas) always was and still is the core competence of the group.



Its main brand is Alpaca 111, the oldest and most prestigious Alpaca brand in the market, which is well known and recognized around the globe. To target younger customer groups and to appeal to the growing LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) market segment, the Kuna brand was introduced a couple of years ago, offering fashionable and yet traditional clothes for women and men. The brand represents the amalgamation of two different eras and worlds: The past, through the inspiration of the rich aesthetic and the technical expressions of the old Andean cultures; and the present day, through the hands of skilled designers who select each colour and create each sketch to give new life to traditional roots. Sustainability is an integral part of product quality: The ecological breeding of the animals, the preservation of ancestral knowledge, social working conditions, and the education of the communities about the environments are part of the CSR programmes, which are certified according to Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP).

In 2010 the company was awarded with the prestigious CEMEFI award as an exemplary business model for social responsibility in Latin America. The Kuna brand is distributed in exclusive Kuna retail stores in Peru, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay, and United Arab Emirates. In addition to that there are online stores which make Kuna products available in North America and Europe as well (e.g. www.alpacacollections.com). When you enter Kuna stores, you enter the brand. The design and the colours create an elegant and entertaining atmosphere. Communication is both at the product and company levels, employing classical offline media (e.g. fashion shows, print advertising, and information leaflets) and online media (e.g. internet, videos, and Facebook). The main sustainability oriented appeal is euphoria, invoking the naturalness and cultural heritage of the product. As compared to other prestigious fashion brands, the price is high, but reasonable. It is in line with the high quality of the product.