2016 was when PAKA started, and this year marks our 10 year anniversary.
That year was raw, a year of firsts, all of the emotions at once - a journey birthing something with no experience or even knowing what it would become. Seeing everyone posting about 2016 right now made me want to share what starting PAKA was really like behind the scenes
After backpacking through South America, I decided to fly back to Peru in 2016 summer to trace back to that same store where Gregoria had sold me my first alpaca sweater, and there she was. We reconnected and started a journey to create the first prototypes, some of these photos here share that first year of PAKA’s journey..
1. Our first PAKA photoshoot
2. The first alpaca sweater Gregoria sold me
3. Overnight buses heading out to visit the alpaqueros to trace down the source
4/5/6 Creating the first PAKA prototypes in Gregoria’s kitchen. I had no background in apparel design and somehow we did it
7. Sharing cacao every morning while living on their rooftop
8. Lucio and I picking up the yarn for the first delivery
9. Packing the first shipment from Peru up with the help of Estefano, Diana’s son
10. The first 60 sweaters that arrived from Peru to my dorm room at college, where I’d spend Friday nights personally shipping them out myself
11. The first ever PAKA booklet I made
12. The first article ever published on PAKA
13. The first version of our site launched.. rough
14. Backstage getting @chancetherapper and his awesome team the first sweaters - @thefirstcolleen@patcorcoran . It gave me the first real confidence push
15. A moment from the Andes that year that I’ll always remember
As we hit our 10 year anniversary later this September, it’s time to connect back to our roots and celebrate all of the people who have made this brand possible, while announcing a huge evolution for PAKA’s future.
We’re just getting started! Thank you for being on this journey to change the apparel industry
Kris
Part Two: From Fiber to Yarn.
Once our fibers are ready, they’re spun into our proprietary Essentials yarn. We’ve spent the past five years perfecting the details to spin these three natural fibers together - the yarn count, tension, and even a new spinning machine - to achieve a balance of durability that’s machine-washable with a luxurious softness you won’t find elsewhere.
This week, we’re taking you behind the scenes of how our Essentials are actually made - start to finish in Peru.
Part 1: The Fiber.
Our Essentials are created from three natural fibers: Organic Pima Cotton sourced from the jungle of Tarapoto, Tencel™ from Eucalpytus pulp, and Royal Alpaca from free-roaming alpacas high in the Andes.
These fibers come together at our mill in Lima, where they’re cleaned, hugged, cuddled, juggled, and prepared for the next step (we couldn’t help ourselves!)
More to come ✌🏽
🎥: @mattarteaga
Falling in love with Peru’s organic Pima cotton courtesy of @paka . Never sprayed, grown in conditions that improve soil biology and biodiversity - bringing economic opportunity to communities that were once oppressed by drug cartels. Could you ever imagine that your t-shirt / underwear / tank top could do that? Also so hyped on the quality of @paka essentials - and the fact that they are @oeko_tex certified. But most of all - I love knowing I’m supporting my people in Peru❤️ from the field the factory - so few brands can live up to this very high standard of quality, environmental stewardship and ethics like @paka can. Also full disclosure I totally made out with the male underwear model on this trip 🙈
🇵🇪It’s not a real adventure unless you fall in a mudslide! 🤣Luckily my @paka essentials were built for such adventures… all so I could see how @paka ’s organic Pima cotton is grown and touch some healthiest soil on earth. This is the real power of fashion done right, natural textiles that heal ecosystems and communities - in this case providing alternative economies for communities who a decade ago were forced into coca production. I can’t think of any other underwear, bra and socks born out of such meaningful impact for people and the planet. Always a pleasure to wear @paka and share their story with the world, especially when it takes me back home. ❤️ thank to the crew @kris_cody@mattarteaga@augustocespedes.e and shout out to @oeko_tex whose stamp of approval for @paka ’s practices give me peace of mind that I was able to verify firsthand
Even mr. frog had to come to vibe on our natural essentials fabric. The splashback poison frog (Ranitomeya variabilis), is native to the Peruvian Amazon and yes - he’s poisonous!
This species is threatened by habitat loss and has already disappeared from some localities due to deforestation and flooding caused by dams. Incredibly, these frogs are only poisonous in the wild because they get their toxins from eating insects like native ants and beetles.
📸 : captured by the incredible @mattarteaga and @tomer__world
Who would have thought switching underwear could have such an enormous impact on our health? @paka invited me to Peru to witness the enormous effort they put into making their organic cotton / alpaca / eucalyptus underwear. Seriously the softest and safest undergarments I have ever worn. With hormone disruption and infertility at an all time high we should be asking hard questions about the toxic chemicals and materials used in our clothing, especially the fibers that touch the most intimate parts of our bodies. Stay tuned for more on @paka essentials and our adventures in Peru 💚
Welcome to From Earth to Everywhere.
Our Essentials collection is here, and we want to take you deeper into where it all begins, how it’s made, and the places it’s meant to explore. Over the next few months, we’ll follow the journey from source to story, starting in Peru, tracing the natural fibers, and seeing how the essentials come to life.
Then we take them out into the world. Through rivers, roads, and a few unexpected turns along the way.
Because the best essentials aren’t just worn. They’re lived in.
#FromEarthToEverywhere
Happy Earth Day! This is one of our favorite days of the year. It’s a moment to slow down and reconnect with the planet that gives us everything.
For us, that starts with what we choose to wear. We believe you should know where your things come from, who made them, and what they’re made of. Today and everyday, we’re choosing to wear natural fibers. 🦙🌱
Natural fibers aren’t just better for the Earth. They’re better to live in - they breathe, last, and work with nature.
What are you doing to celebrate the Earth today? Tag us if you’re wearing natural fibers!
(And if you need to add more nature to your closet, head over to PAKA.co for a special surprise - today only, as our thank you for supporting our mission and the planet we all share. 🌎)
