Inkkas is one of those brands that you fall in love with as soon as you see their products. It could be the bright & bold colours or the native tribal patterns or maybe that you love its ethical values. All Inkkas Shoes are handmade using traditional South American textiles & the results speak for themselves.
I was lucky enough to be able to speak with Inkkas & ask them a few questions about the brand.
Tell me a little about your beginnings, how did it all start?
It all started during a trip to South America. During my travels I ended up spending a lot of time trekking through the Andes, it was there that I discovered the amazing culture and traditions of the native peoples. In countries like Peru and Bolivia that I saw how the people are so interconnected with their history as well as the nature that surrounds them. When I finally left South America I knew I needed to introduce these amazing styles to the world.
What is your mission/values?
At Inkkas we try to adhere to three core principles which we believe embody the spirit of Inkkas
1) Only use authentic South American textiles
2) Made in South America by South Americans
3) Donate a portion of all proceeds to help South American communities
Why is Fairtrade important to Inkkas?
I think fairtrade is very important to Inkkas because we understand that the people and culture of South America have give us so much it only seems fair that we do what we can to contribute to progress and well being of the local Peruvian artisans who craft our shoes.
What inspires your products?
Great question! The inspiration to our shoes actually goes back over a 100 years and is deeply rooted in the culture and history of the South American people. The people of the Andes love these colorful designs and you can see it in their everyday clothing. In the past few years we’ve these ethnic patterns and designs exploded in popularity in the West which we now identify as “Tribal” or “Aztec”.
Being unique & individual is important to me as a person, is it important Inkkas & if so, why?
Without a doubt yes! One of Inkkas’s core principals is authenticity and part of staying authentic is being unique.
Do you have any exciting products or collections we should look out for in the near future?
We actually just released our new line of Inkkas v2.0! Based off our original collection Inkkas v2.0 is stronger, more comfortable and includes two new styles – Slate & Shadow.
A big thank you to Josh for taking the time to answer my questions. I think Inkkas is definitely a brand to watch out for!
With a wide variety of High Tops & Low Tops in just about every pattern & colour combination you can imagine, there is a style to suit everyone. You also get the ‘feel good factor’ knowing that a portion of the cost has gone to South American communities – hooray for companies that ‘give back’.
Be sure to check out their wonderful site here.
Please let me know your thoughts & if you are lucky enough to have your own pair of Inkkas then send in a picture!
