D.A.R. Proyectos is “Weaving the Light”

Guest blog by Giselle Bowyer

Nest’s Artisan Accelerator is designed to give promising and engaged artisan businesses the support they need to become vital players in the international marketplace for fashion and home design. We are thrilled to share that one of our 2020 cohort member D.A.R Proyectos has been announced as the recipient of this year’s Gray Magazine Award for innovative lighting and furniture design. 

Headquartered in Pacasmayo, Peru, D.A.R Proyectos is a retail brand founded in 2016 with a focus on creating long-lasting economic potential in rural communities through craft and industry. They employ 200 artisans (95% women) in 11 communities across La Libertad, Cajamarca, and Lima inspiring design lovers to appreciate the skill and organic materials in unexpected objects. The essence of the brand is a unique, innovative blend of design, flexible functionality and beautiful handwork of crochet and backstrap loom weaving from Andean skilled craftsmen.

For the Gray Magazine Awards, a program that recognizes the best and brightest in design, D.A.R Proyectos created the Weaving the Light collection which features a series of lamps that glow from the textile itself. The remarkable design mixes state of the art technology with traditional indigenous techniques. An unusual combination of two very different materials; the electroluminescent wire and traditional Andean crochet weaving creates a refreshing and interesting interaction between textiles and technology.

Their ability to apply traditional craft practices to products that resonate with a wide audience is just one of the reasons D.A.R Proyectos is a celebrated member of the Nest’s Artisan Accelerator. Stay tuned for January when we will share details about the upcoming Artisan Accelerator 2021 application process.