ayni
Crafted at the Crossroads of Culture and Consciousness: Conscious Select × Ayni
Ayni is a Quechua phrase meaning "today for you, tomorrow for me" — a principle of reciprocity embedded in Andean culture for centuries. When Peruvian-born Adriana Cachay and Danish designer Laerke Skyum co-founded the brand in 2009, they built that philosophy into the structure of the business itself, not as a tagline but as an operational commitment. Every decision about materials, production, and community partnership flows from the same question: who benefits, and how?
The result is one of the most thoroughly documented community-centred fashion brands on Conscious Select.
The Craft
Every Ayni garment is handmade in Peru by Peruvian artisans, using baby alpaca, Pima cotton, and natural plant-based dyes — materials indigenous to the land and worked through techniques that have been practised across the Andes for generations. The brand runs 15 workshops across Peru with over 200 employees, paying fair wages determined in partnership with the artisans themselves rather than imposed from above.
The design language is the product of two distinct sensibilities meeting: Nordic minimalism and Peruvian heritage. Clean silhouettes, considered proportions, colour stories drawn from Peruvian landscapes. Pieces that feel contemporary but carry the weight of where and how they were made.
The Programme
In 2012, Ayni established the Ayni Certify programme in partnership with Peru's Ministry of Employment — a training and certification initiative designed to bring isolated artisan communities into a sustainable economic relationship with international fashion. To date, 2,116 artisans have been certified across regions of Peru, learning techniques including crochet, macramé, and pedal and backstrap weaving. In 2017, the brand partnered with Fondation Chanel and CODESPA to certify 200 indigenous women from the Lake Titicaca region. Ayni holds B Corp certification, independently verifying its commitment to people, planet, and purpose across the full business.
Why Ayni is a Consciously Selected Fashion Brand: CS Signal
Independently Certified | B Corp certified. Ayni Certify programme has trained and certified 2,116 Peruvian artisans in partnership with Peru's Ministry of Employment. 15 workshops, over 200 employees, fair wages determined with artisans. Baby alpaca and Pima cotton throughout. One of the most thoroughly documented community-centred fashion brands on Conscious Select.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ayni
Is Ayni a sustainable brand? Ayni is B Corp certified and operates one of the most documented community programmes of any fashion brand at this scale. The Ayni Certify initiative, launched in 2012 with Peru's Ministry of Employment, has trained and certified 2,116 artisans across Peru. All production is handmade in Peru using baby alpaca, Pima cotton, and natural plant-based dyes, with fair wages determined in partnership with artisan communities.
Where is Ayni made and who makes it? Every Ayni garment is handmade in Peru by Peruvian artisans across 15 workshops. The brand employs over 200 people and works with artisan communities across multiple Peruvian regions, preserving traditional textile techniques including backstrap weaving, crochet, and macramé.
