The Artisan Journal

Why a Woven Bag Belongs in Every Season

A woven bag isn't a seasonal piece. The same junco bag that works at the Saturday market looks equally right at dinner — and better at three years than most bags at six months. Three bags worth kno...

Junco Reed: The Peruvian Material Behind Every Orange Inca Bag

Junco is a water reed that grows along Peru's Pacific coast. It's harvested by hand, dried in the sun, and woven into bags that are lighter and more durable than most natural fibres. Here's the mat...

The Ultimate Guide to Baby Alpaca Wool

Baby alpaca is a grade, not an age — fleece measuring 18 to 22 microns, warmer than wool, softer to wear than most cashmere, and significantly more durable than either. This guide covers what it is...

A Baby Alpaca Shawl: The Winter Gift That Gets Worn, Not Put Away

Some gifts get worn once. A baby alpaca shawl from the Peruvian highlands gets worn until it's soft and familiar and hers.

A Leather Crossbody Bag That Gets Better With Age

Soft tumbled leather, stitched and finished by hand in Lima. The Olivia crossbody — compact, considered, and built for every season. Six colourways. Designed in Australia, made in Peru.

Handcrafted, One-of-a-Kind: Why Pieces Like Ours Are Being Recognised

Orange Inca was featured in The Australian Women's Weekly. Here's what that moment represents — and why handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces are finding their audience.

Are Raffia Bags Durable? Junco vs Raffia, and What Actually Lasts

Yes, raffia is durable for a leaf fibre — but the woven bags still going after several years usually aren't raffia. Junco is a reed, and it fails differently.

The Bag That Started It All: The Story Behind the Playa

The Playa was the bag that started Orange Inca — a handwoven junco tote from Peru. Now updated with refined straps and a matching coin purse, it's still the piece that best captures what we set out...

The Story Behind Our Gran Fiesta: How a Handwoven Tote Became a Movement

The Gran Fiesta started as a single handwoven junco tote — bold, naturally dyed, made in Peru. Here’s how it evolved into a full collection of totes, crossbody bags, and coin purses, and why the Na...

Wrapped in Alpaca: My Go-To Winter Look in the Blue Mountains

A founder's note: a winter day in the Blue Mountains, layered in baby alpaca. What I wore, why I reach for it every time, and what it feels like to wear something made this way. — Marcela, founder ...