Backstrap Handwoven Baby Alpaca Poncho in Ruby Red, "Sallac Artistry"

Working in baby alpaca — the fine fleece from the season's first shearing — the artisans of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco create a handwoven masterpiece. Rows of intricate geometric motifs flow across the ruby red poncho. Its soft allure is woven by hand on the backstrap loom using colors favored by ancient Andean cultures. Its name reveals its inspiration in the small Inca community of Sallac.

The community raises and cares for its own alpacas. The fleece is washed, carded and spun by hand using a pushka, or drop spindle. The dyes come from plants, nuts and tree bark. The next step is one of the most important, as the artisan prepares the warp, or vertical threads for the backstrap loom. This determines the size of the textile, the color combinations, and the patterns that will be woven.

The intensity of color can vary depending on the hardness of the water, the altitude and the local dye sources, making each textile a unique piece of handcrafted art.