Aiayu
Aiayu is a high-end clothing store with a strong focus on sustainability and high-quality natural materials, locally sourced.
The name Aiayu comes from the Aymara language of Bolivia and means soul or spirit. The name is a tribute to the Bolivian women who knit their clothes, and who put their spirit and soul into the clothes.
Aiayu makes clothes in natural materials, believing that plastic should not be on our bodies. They make an effort to source the best materials where they can, but also that the conditions are good in the places they work with. In order to have high transparency and accountability, they import directly from the suppliers, so they can make sure that the employees are treated properly in the local communities. This means you can buy their clothes with a clear conscience that a lot of thought went into the garment you are wearing and that it is made with the best materials possible.
Aiayu originally started with llama wool from the Bolivian highlands, here they work with local family farms and the Bolivian women who take care of the wool. They also work with wool from sartuul sheep and yak oxen, from the Mongolian steppe, where the suppliers are nomadic herders. Much of their wool has in common that it is not dyed, but retains its natural colours from when it was on the animals.
Their cotton products are certified through the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), which ensures that the cotton is organic, but also that those working with the cotton in the community are treated properly, with good conditions and wages.