About the Brand:

Ponchos Rojas is a design and fashion brand dedicated to the preservation of weaving traditions in the high Andes. The textiles of the Bolivian Andes have an unbroken chain of handcraft that has been passed from generation to generation for thousands of years, and it is now in danger of being lost forever with the push for modernization. By upcycling vintage pieces and working with Bolivian communities to create new works, founders Ana Catalina Rojas de Merkel and Greg Merkel hope to create a broad market appeal worldwide and drive a new economy for Bolivian textiles.

Ponchos Rojas has also created a non-profit company, Ponchos Libres, where proceeds from their sales will go back directly to the local Bolivian communities and further help protect the treasure that is the art of Bolivian Textiles. Through programs that focus on preserving weaving traditions and teaching new generations, they aim to get the younger generations interested and involved and keep this artform alive.