INTI HANDMADE KNITWEAR
Lifestyle Guide Winter ‘16/’17
Sweater Andina | MY4618
Our weaver Jose from Peguche INTI LIFESTYLE GUIDE | 4
Carmilla from the village Mira INTI LIFESTYLE GUIDE | 5
CASHAPONA (Walking Palm) This tree can be found marching through the forests of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve near Quito, Ecuador. In the deep interior of the Reserve, Walking Palm or Cashapona trees slowly migrate across the wilderness as new roots replace the old. The new growth drags the tree along, a process that sometimes allows the tree to walk a few centimeters in just one day. Tweed Scarf Havanna | SM1600 >
A IS FOR ALPACA
B IS FOR BABY
OUR PERUVIAN BABY ALPACA IS SO SUPER SOFT YOU NEVER WANT TO TAKE IT OF. CUDDLY, LIGHT AS A FEATHER, AIRY YET PLEASINGLY WARM. A BEAUTIFUL GIFT FROM NATURE. AND DEFINITELY AN UNIQUE EXPERIENCE. Everything is soft about the alpaca, from his lovely expressive eyes, perky ears, inquisitive nose and graceful long neck till his soft and curly fleece. The Baby Apalca, cria in South-America, gives softness a whole new level. This adorable little fellow is born with a fleece so soft that the Incas called it `Wool of the Gods’. Once shaven the Baby Alpaca grows its adult fleece which is also incomparably wonderful but not as exquisite as the virgin coat. A garment made of Baby Alpaca is a treasure to keep for the rest of your life and it only gets better by wearing and caring. Baby Apalca has a lighter look and feel than ‘adult’ Apalca. It’s softer, silkier and fluffier. The fibre has the same benefits as normal
Apalca. It’s soft but very strong, elastic and fine. It has also hypo allergenic and thermal qualities. The fact that it’s literally a once in a lifetime experience makes Baby Alpaca a very luxurious material. In the Inca times only royalty wore this material. We love it so much that half of our collection is made out of this unique material. Spend the Holidays with your loved ones in our ultralight Baby Apalca cardigan Abrazo (Embrace in Spanish). It feels like the hug of an old friend. Easy, breezy, warm and pure. Be yourself and feel comfortable and free spirited. No zippers, no buttons but soft and loose and super huggable. Our favourite...
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< South American mountains > Cardigan Cobra Jeans | MY4636
Lourdes from the beautiful city Cuenca | P. 13 Scarf Isolde | SM1632 INTI LIFESTYLE GUIDE | 12
Turtle neck Cuello Pozo | SA1638 | Long tweed jacket Nina | T2601
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INTI IN FIGURES ONE COLLECTION 12. 000 ITEMS
8 head knitters | 625 knitters | 115 crochet stars | 6 seamstresses | 1.600 buttons | 12.000 safety pins 550 Zippers | 12.000 paper hangtags | 12.000 washing labels | 12.000 labels
45 wool shavers | 28 wool spinners | 7 wool dyers | 8.000 kilo's raw wool | 1.400 liters wool dye | 8 quality checkers | 9.860 km for wool deliveries
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2 selfmade designers, Anna and Ana Luz | 1 of the best production leaders of the world, Leon | 500 alpaca’s | 700 baby alpaca's | 1.000 merino sheep | 1 Account manager | 1 Studio manager
5 packagers | 800 boxes | 12.000 bags | 184 Tape rolls | 1 shipping container | 8 cargo flights | 2 dogs | Inspiring music | Good food | Lot of taxi’s
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Scarf Redondel China blue | SM1699
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Zip cardigan Quito | MY4607
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P.20 Tweed Scarf BLue Jeans | SM1600 | P. 21 Zip Cardigan Jakira Green River | M7612
QUOTE/LOGO W H A T I S DONE IN LOVE IS DONE WELL VINCENT VAN GOGH
Sleeveless tweed jacket Allikaya | T2613
Poncho | PA1609
Hat Saturn | HM1668
Hat Jakira | HM7633
Barrett Ojos | HM1618
Cardigan Tapir | A4603
Stole Ojos | SM1612 INTI LIFESTYLE GUIDE | 24
Long cardigan Lata Cunga | dark brown | M7611
Long cardigan Zuleta | A4608
GUABA (INGA EDULIS) ENG. ICE-CREAM-BEAN Guaba is a fruit native to South America. It is widely grown, especially by indigenous Amazonians, for shade, food, timber, medicine, and production of the alcoholic beverage cachiri. In English they have been called "icecream beans" due to the sweet flavor and smooth texture of the pulp. Tweed Scarf olive | SM1600 | Zip cardigan Bolita | MY7610 >
Sjawl Ojales | SMY1611 | Cardigan Bolero | MY1612 >
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Tweed Scarf Gold | SM1600 | Tweed long jacket Nina | T2601
Long cardigan Lata Cumba | M3602
Cardigan Imburana | A4605
Jacket Marlena | T2604
Cardigan Ambato | A8610
Zip cardigan Cuenca | MY7603
Zip cardigan Jakoba | M1605
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THE WOOL IS STILL WOVEN BY HAND INTO ITS VERY CHARACTERISTIC WINDPROOF AND WATERPROOF STRUCTURE, USING THE TIME-HONOURED WEAVING TECHNIQUES OF THE INCAS FROM THE ANDEAN REGIONS.
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TWEED Tweed, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing old-fashioned about it. Cast in a modern design the fabric lends itself perfectly to a comfortable, warm jacket.For him or her. The wool is still woven by hand into its very characteristic windproof and waterproof structure, using the time-honoured weaving techniques of the Incas from the Andean regions. Our tweed, called telar in Ecuador, originates from the tiny weaving village of Peguche in the province of Imbabura. As you approach, from far and away your ear detects the clicking of the weaving looms, present in every home. They produce ponchos, hammocks, colourful wall hangings and our tweed fabrics. Generally itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the men who do the work. Their grandfathers and fathers did it, and their sons will do it. Because this craftsmanship tradition is futureproof.
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AMAZONE IQUITOS PERU
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Sleeveless turtleneck Cuello Poso | A1638 Cardigan Horizon Bolero | A4620
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< Trottoir Otavalo Ecuador Zip cardigan Jakoba | MY4609
MEET OUR QUEEN OF KNITTING IMELDA HERMELINDA BENITEZ IS OUR PRIDE AND JOY. FOR SEVENTIEN YEARS THIS STRONG WILLED LADY REPRESENTS THE HEART AND SOUL OF INTI KNITWEAR. SHE IS OUR GUIDING LIGHT AND BEACON. WITH HER SENSE OF STYLE, HER VISION AND PASSION SHEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AN EXAMPLE FOR AL OF US. 63 years ago Imelda was born as second daughter of four sibblings in the city of Ibarra, capital of the province of Imbabura in the north of Ecuador. This beautiful old city is also called the White city because of the colonial white washed houses. Thousands of years ago this was the empire of the incan emperor Huayana Capac, nowadays bust-ling Ibarra is a popular tourist destination. Growing up she saw her mother crochet and knit all the time. As a young girl she learned how to knit using two spokes of an old bicycle for needles. From that day on she was hooked. Knitting, sewing, crochet; it became her life's passion. She studied textiles and pattern drawing and took extra courses to enhance
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her talents. The following years she works for a few years in a clothing workshop. Just 21 she fell in love with handsome Adrian. His father was the owner of a clothing workshop and he gave her full access to the sewing machines. Paradise for Imelda! Ambitious Imelda starts her own workshop in which she creates gorgeous weddinggowns. Her eye for detail, styling and design are remarkable and she gave many young brides an unforgettable walk down the aisle. Here lies the root of her beautiful needle work later on in life. Now SeĂąora Imelda runs her own knitting workshop together with devoted husband Adrian, son Karlos and daughter Myri. The almost 300 women that work for her see her more
like a mother and friend than a boss. Lots of them come from poor families, have to travel long hours to work and are illiterate. Imelda feeds them and cares for them like they are her own children. With some free additional motherly advice off course! She translates our designs like no other and throws in a little special Imelda magic. Her cardigans and sweaters are to die for. Imelda oozes perfection. With her sense of style and vision for fashion she's our own little Coco Chanel. Even after a lifetime of hard work she's still so passionate and driven. Her knitting work is imaculate and her contribution to Inti Knitwear priceless. Our true Queen of Knitting. We love her so dearly.
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ACHUPALLA is a stunning plant from the bromeliad (pineapple) family. In its native range in Ecuador it grows at very high altitudes between 3,700 and 4,100 m. mostly above the tree line, in a grassland called Pรกramo that is characterized by temperatures near or below freezing at night through most of the year.
Stola Triangulo | SMY3603
Cardigan Altos | MY4604
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Wantes | WMY1627
Bandage | HMY1666
Cardigan Bolero | MY1612
Zip cardigan Bolita | MY7610
Long cardigan Abrazo (big hug) | MY3601
Stole Triangulo | SMY3603
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CALIGO MARTIA (OWL BUTTERFLY) is a butterfly known for their huge eyespots, which resemble owls' eyes. They are found in the rainforests and secondary forests of Ecuador. Owl butterflies are very large, 65â&#x20AC;&#x201C;200 mm, and fly only a few meters at a time.
Long cardigan Loja | MY4609 > INTI LIFESTYLE GUIDE | 44
P. 46 Stola Semy | SM1633 | Gunnera Aequatoriensis | P. 47 Eucalyptus globulus
PILLING
A MATTER OF COMING OF AGE You know what they say about the glass. Either its half empty or half full. It's just a matter of looking at things in a negative of positive way. We opt for the latter. Wool and pilling go together like salt and pepper. Although a lot of people see the pilling of their woolen garment as a bad thing that they try to prevent at all times, it's not. We actually love some pilling. We look at it as a sort of coming of age. It gives your wooly's more character, depth and beauty. In addition it makes the garment softer and more comfortable to wear (the stronger or more twisted the yarn, the 'stiffer' the fabric) and gives it a more fluffier and cuddlier look and feel. Personally we like a little lived look. It ads a touch of personality to your outfit and shows you care about
the beauty of life. It only gets better through time. It's like a fine bottle of wine. A stunning piece of art. Jane Fonda. Your favourite pair of jeans... There is, however, one significant difference between your favourite pair of jeans and your delicate handmade sweater or cardigan. DO NOT, we repeat, DO NOT throw your precious woolen garment in the washer together with your jeans! Maybe the pants will get better by washing them over and over; your wool does certainly not. Instead throw some Tender Love and Care in it and you will treasure your wooly's for a lifetime! So bring them home to mum or follow our washing instructions. Or as we like to call it: our TLC Chard.
Wool is self-cleaning. After wearing, hang it out to air.
When rinsing, make sure that the temperature of the rinsing water is the same as the washing water.
We wash wool at 0 degrees in the washing machine on the wool cycle, and we also use the wool spin cycle. (Of course it is possible to hand wash too, but why hand wash when the result is just as good when using the machine?)
Never hang or lay a wool garment to dry when it is saturated in water. Try to remove as much of the water as possible and don’t lay it out on anything that absorbs moisture (such as a towel). Colors might run and the natural elasticity of the garment may deteriorate.
If hand washing, make sure that you are using a sufficient amount of water. Also, don’t rub the material in the water; this can be avoided by using the right amount of water.
Never put wool in the tumble dryer! (Unless the object is to make it into felt). When ironing, use a steam iron, or put a moist protective sheet between a regular iron and the woolen surface.
Don’t spot clean; always wash the whole garment, not just the part that has the stain. Use a pH neutral detergent, or preferably a special wool washing detergent. Wash different colors separately. Do not use bleach!
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Pilling and balling of your purchase is perfectly normal. To remove pilling, and keep your item looking fresh and recently bought, we recommend using a wool comb or a product like the Sweater Stone. It is natural and uses no chemicals or batteries.
Cardigan Imburana | A4605
INTI INTI SHOWROOM
Leon van den Broek | Anna Cales Havenstraat 7h | 5211 WC | â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s-Hertogenbosch | The Netherlands info@intiknitwear.com | 0031 (0)73 - 612 44 14
INTI KNITWEAR intiknitwear.com facebook.com/IntiKnitwear
AGENTS
Nienke Lindeboom | Jannemiek Roos karakter@xs4all.nl | 0031 (0)182 - 67 09 10
BELGIUM
Anne Fobe anne.fobe1@telenet.be | 0032 495 - 92 02 03
GERMANY
Sarah Schulze sas@goodluxagengy.com | 0049 40 - 74 10 81 70
N.W. HOLLAND
MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY
Leon van den Broek | United Studios | leonvdbroek.nl
SOUTH AMERICA
Anna Cales
STYLING
Hans Borgman | hansborgman.nl
HAIR & MAKE UP
Patricia van Heumen | angeliquehoorn.com
MODEL OUTDOOR
Evelyne van eetvelde | modelsoffice.be
MODEL STUDIO
Lisa Vollebregt | bmmm.nl
PRODUCTION
Anneloes Gerritse
DESIGN & CONCEPT
Lilian van Stekelenburg | lily66.com
COPY
Machteld Leistra
PRINTED BY
Drukkerij Knoops | drukkerijknoops.nl
SPECIAL THANKS
Mieke and Jos Buysse | Ecosnooze Alpaca Farm | ecosnooze.be
Cobra Mode Den Bosch | cobramode.nl
UNO Style | unostyle.nl
< Sleeveless cardigan Chaleco Iris | A1607
INTI KNITWEAR
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD
This winter fashion not only needs to warm your body but also your heart. To feel save and sound inside and out. Dutch based Inti knitwear gives you exactly that with a story behind every carefully handmade item. Knitted with love by strong and proud women. Using natural materials from animals who live happy and free. Soft and cuddly alcapa, rich and warm merino and sturdy yet stylish tweeds. Feel cosy, colourful, comfortable and loved; let Inti embrace you. In Spanish we say: abrazzo. South-America feels like home to Anna and Léon, founders of Inti Knitwear. As young backpackers they travelled around this continent and kind of never left. And then something magical happend when they met a group of women who were knitting the most elaborate and stunning pieces from their homes. Inti Knitwear was born with a feeling for natural materials, an eye for the craftmanship of the South American knitters and a lot of enthusiasm. They now make one collection a year with the help of approximately 700 local employees. Anna: `It’s a cultural encounter. We live six months a year in Ecuador and are very hands on. We are very involved in every step. From the rough wool to the beautifully crafted end result. We’re so grateful that we can spread the hard work and skills of the local people of Ecuador and Peru around the rest of the globe.’ The base of every Inti garment is pure wool, the most natural fibre in the world. Especially high quality Peruvian alpaca and merino wool. Lively colours, precious designs and patterns and intriguing stitching techniques melt together in beautiful garments. Sleek and stylish. Or comfy and snug. Either way, Inti knitwear embraces your body and warms your heart for ever.
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