LANART prides itself in hand crafted quality and innovation. We insist on quality and consistency, yet our products always have an artistic flare.

Our dedication to the sustainability of our planet is practiced through our hand crafting. Each product must go through a rigorous process. We require diligent consideration through procuring raw materials, processing these materials, crafting and refining products for sale, and distribution. We upcycle and recycle whenever possible. Nothing is wasted or lost and our only gain is caring for our planet.

Years ago, we began team building exercises in which each shop took half a day to create a new product to show case. It was brilliant to see everyone engaged, creative, and resourceful. Materials from other shops were used like never before. This was so successful that we now have regular days dedicated to tapping into the creative side of our team and allow them to design something new. This allows us to incorporate new ideas and creativity into our products. New products and revamped classic styles are the lifeblood of our company and community. We are serious about consistent quality because we want our customers to trust the reliability of our products and know that they are true to form and dependable. We consistently review designs, patterns, and colors to ensure our products’ quality and to make improvements or adjustments. A constant review of designs, patterns, and colors to make improvements.

Our founder, Angelo Ponce, studied art at Queens College shortly after immigrating to the U.S. from Latin America. A sculptor at heart, his passion for creating has set the stage for our company’s culture of innovation. Although we have talented designers, everybody at LANART is encouraged to explore new ideas and help our company grow.

Founded by Angelo Ponce, our humble beginnings were driven by designing and distributing artistic alpaca rugs. LANART’s goal, which we have translated into our core philosophy, has been to show the world the beautiful luxury and diverse offerings of Alpaca fiber in an array of products while encouraging the artistic traditions of the native people of Peru. Ursula Ponce, Angelo’s daughter, had grown up around the family business. She joined the business full time after her graduate studies in 2005, and is grateful to be following in her father’s footsteps.

With our headquarters moving to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1994, we became aligned with the Sister Cities Program. The longstanding ties between Charlotte and Areqiupa, that have been established in 1962 was something we embraced. Because we have always been involved in our communities, we became completely immersed in Arequipa. The discovery of this connection made it seem like it was a perfect fit for us to move to Arequipa. Naturally, the connections made with artists, knitters, and creative minds solidified our relationship. Working together with these groups, we were drawn to this small town feel and it was a natural connection that we made all around. Getting established in Arequipa truly put us on the map.

While we moved our base of operations to Arequipa, our site in Puno, in the highlands of Peru, has continued to flourish since the 1990s. We have stayed true to our hand knitting items using traditions passed down through generations. Our baby alpaca hand crafted products are a point of pride, especially while the industry has been flooded with acrylic blends and mass produced machine made “alpaca” products. Our accessories are a work of art and continue to bring natural beauty to those who value the true essence of baby alpaca and the art form of hand knitting and hand crafting.

As the popularity of alpaca has grown, our roots have been in an artistic and home made approach to every day products. LANART offers a wide variety of distinctive Alpaca products that include: needle felted sculptures, teddy bear collections, socks, accessories, and home décor. Since its inception, LANART has steadily gained a reputation for quality and integrity – traits that are paramount in the Alpaca industry – and a priority to us.