Located in the heart of Cusco, the capital city of the Inca empire, the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco (CTTC) stands as a legitimate conveyor of past and present Peruvian cultural identity. It was established in 1996 by a group of Chinchero weavers led by award-winning author and Quechua master weaver Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez who learned her craft growing up in Chinchero, a small village located 30km northeast of Cusco. As a little girl she spent her days looking after her parent’s sheep flock, learning to spin and weave in the majestic Chinchero Highlands.

The idea of keeping the textile heritage of the Cusco region alive was born in Chinchero during the mid-1970s. Some weavers including Nilda’s own relatives were deeply concerned that young people were turning away from weaving and that complex designs were being forgotten. The small group began to work together, determined to revive their traditional textiles, skills and designs. Using handspun yarn and natural fibers (alpaca, llama, sheep) was the first step toward restoring high-quality indigenous textiles. Led by Nilda Callanaupa Alvarez and supporters from the USA, the informal cultural project ultimately developed into a non-profit organization with headquarters in Cusco. Envisioned as an educational and research center, the CTTC’s primary mission is to preserve and promote high-quality traditional Cusqueñan textiles, while providing support to the weavers through the sale of their products. Through research, demonstrations and workshops for its members and visitors, the Center is proactively preserving hand-spinning and reviving intricate weaving techniques.