About Inspired Peru — A Peruvian-Owned Artisan Brand Since 2011

Inspired Peru is a Peruvian-owned luxury artisan brand founded in 2011 by Carlos Arias. Every piece is handmade by indigenous Andean artisan families in Cusco and Puno, Peru, signed by its maker through a Certificate of Authenticity, and shipped from the United States.

Inspired Peru at a Glance

Founded in 2011 by Carlos Arias
Enrique Arias — named master artisan and father of the founder
35+ indigenous Andean artisan family cooperatives in Cusco and Puno, Peru
Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artisan — included with every piece
Ships from the United States — 2–5 day delivery, no import tariffs

Carlos Arias and Enrique Arias presenting Inspired Peru handmade alpaca pieces to buyers at Las Vegas Market.

Carlos Arias and his father Enrique Arias presenting Inspired Peru's handmade alpaca pieces to buyers at Las Vegas Market.

Where It Began

Carlos Arias was born and raised in Lima, Peru. Growing up, he watched both of his parents pour themselves into handmade work — long hours, careful hands, and a deep pride in what they created. His mother spent her life making things by hand, filling their home with color and craft. She passed away before Inspired Peru was founded, and she never saw what the brand became. But she is one of the reasons it exists. Inspired Peru keeps Carlos, his father, and his brother close to her — through the work she loved.

After leaving Peru, Carlos moved to the United States, where he built a career in customer service and retail. The more he learned about how products were sold, the more he noticed something missing: the people who actually made things were invisible. Larger companies were telling artisan stories without the artisans. Carlos Arias founded Inspired Peru in 2011 to change that — to build a brand where the maker is the main character, not a footnote.

A Family Legacy, Still Being Made

At the heart of Inspired Peru is Enrique Arias — Carlos's father, and a named master artisan who hand-makes pieces for the brand today. Enrique crafts Inspired Peru's signature alpaca fur companions by hand and signs the Certificate of Authenticity that accompanies every piece. When a customer receives their order and reads that certificate, the name on it is real. The hands that made it are real.

Inspired Peru was founded by Carlos Arias in 2011. Today, the brand works with 35+ indigenous Andean artisan family cooperatives in Peru, including Enrique Arias, who hand-makes pieces and signs the Certificates of Authenticity that accompany them.

Meet Enrique Arias and the artisan families →

The Artisan Families Behind Every Piece

Inspired Peru works directly with 35+ indigenous Andean artisan family cooperatives in Cusco and Puno — two of the highest-altitude regions in the Andes, where alpaca husbandry and handcraft traditions have been practiced for centuries. These are not anonymous suppliers. They are specific families, with specific skills, who have been part of Inspired Peru since 2011.

Each piece is handmade by artisan families rather than mass-produced through large-scale manufacturing. Because each piece is handmade, natural variation is part of what makes it genuine. The artisan who makes your piece signs the Certificate of Authenticity — and their profile is publicly available on our Meet Your Artisans page.

See how each piece is made →

Why Every Piece Includes a Certificate of Authenticity

Every Inspired Peru piece ships with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by the artisan who created it. The certificate identifies the maker by name and connects each piece to the artisan family that produced it — not a factory, not a batch number, not a brand promise. A specific person.

The Certificate also includes a QR code linking directly to the artisan's public profile, so anyone holding a piece can see exactly who made it and where they work. This is what separates documented provenance from generic authenticity claims.

What We Make

Inspired Peru's collection centers on genuine alpaca fur stuffed animals — handcrafted companions made from Huacaya and Suri alpaca fur, sourced from the cooperatives in Cusco and Puno. Each piece belongs to one of three sensory lines:

Cloud Touch™ — Huacaya alpaca fur bears, known for their dense, crimped, cloud-like softness Explore →
Andean Puff™ — Huacaya llamas, alpacas, and other Andean shapes Explore →
Andean Silk™ — Suri alpaca fur pieces, with long, draping, silk-like locks Explore →

The collection also includes heritage embroidered belts (Chumpis) and Peruvian jewelry — each made by the same artisan families, with the same commitment to documented provenance.

Created for Long-Term Ownership

Inspired Peru pieces are created with long-term ownership in mind. Every piece ships with a signed Certificate of Authenticity — a traceable record of who made it and where it came from. And when a piece needs care after years of love, our Heirloom Spa restoration service returns it to the same artisan community that made it.

Every order ships from the United States — with 2–5 day delivery and no import tariffs for domestic buyers. The relationship between Inspired Peru and its customers doesn't end at checkout.

See what separates genuine handmade alpaca from mass-produced alternatives →

Recognition & Milestones

Since 2011, Inspired Peru has presented its artisan-made collections at trade events across the United States, introducing the work of Enrique Arias and the Andean artisan families directly to buyers and collectors. At their first New York City trade show, Carlos and Enrique were visited by the legendary style icon Iris Apfel — who held one of their handmade alpaca lions.

Carlos Arias and Enrique Arias with fashion icon Iris Apfel at Inspired Peru's first New York City trade show, holding a handmade alpaca lion.

Carlos Arias and Enrique Arias with the late Iris Apfel at Inspired Peru's first New York City trade show. She is holding one of Enrique's handmade alpaca lions.

Inspired Peru is a queer-owned, Peruvian-owned brand. Carlos Arias is its founder. Enrique Arias is its master artisan. And the 35+ indigenous Andean artisan families in Cusco and Puno are the reason every piece is worth keeping.