Cultural Threads | Truckee CA

Cultural Threads and its founder Kristen are a pretty unique duo. Nestled in the Truckee tree tops you will find Kristen with her dog Eligh, a paddle board and a really big dream. Cultural Threads is an entirely hand-spun 100% pure Alpaca knit company bringing beautiful scarves, beanies, gloves and a few thoughtful accessories from Peru to the States. It stared a decade ago when she began traveling yearly to Peru and discovered Alpaca goods being sold at the local fresh air markets. Over time she learned that most of what was available was advertised as 100% Alpaca but was really a blend of sorts. This lead to a sketchy excursion high up in the Andes Mountains to see where the Alpaca live for herself. At 13,000. ft she befriended a group of ladies who’s lives are now tightly intertwined with hers. Twice a year she makes the strenuous trip up the mountain with medical supplies, gifts and toiletries to share with this tiny community. She lives side by side with these woman as they create knitting patterns, tend to the Alpaca and communicate about this incredible business they have created. Though fluent in Spanish Kristen is also learning Quechua to better converse with the ladies. Can you imagine what its like owning a business in another country? That you only see twice a year? Whos employees speak a different language? I would have given up long ago but Kristen continues to jump through importing hoops, sail over legal hurdles, absorb every last detailed decision AND physically carry all the knit goods back to the states with her small but capable hands. As a result she has created a livelihood for these woman that didn’t exist before. She has taught them about hygiene and self care and even helped the daughter of one of her ladies with a life treating burn while she was there. Kristen is an incredible entrepreneur who’s business will always be successful because she cares for nothing but her ladies. Her life is driven by them and their needs and though she lives here in California I think we all know she belongs in Peru.

Cultural Threads