Buying handicrafts: how to get unique items for a fair price?
No trip to Otavalo is complete without visiting a
traditional handicrafts workshop in one of the surrounding villages. Nowadays,
most of the stuff sold at the famous handicrafts market in Otavalo is made in
factories or imported from other countries. So sometimes it can be really
difficult to find a truly unique souvenir. Chances are much higher in the
countryside, where many people still practice the traditional arts of weaving, woodcarving,
and embroidery. Not only can you buy some handmade and really unique
handicrafts, you also learn about the single processes, hard work and
craftsmanship it takes to make them. In addition, by buying directly from
the producers you help that they get a fair price for their works and that
their skills are passed on to the next generation.
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