Collection: Feltis

Feltis are 100% wool, dry needle felted ornaments handmade by women from rural and indigenous communities in northern Peru. Felti artisans become empowered by learning new skills and earning a sustainable income that helps them care for their families. Proceeds from Felti sales go back into SBC’s conservation programs to protect spectacled bears and their habitat.

Spectacled Bear Conservation Society (SBC) is a Peruvian non-profit organization dedicated to conserving spectacled bears in northern Peru through research, community empowerment and habitat protection. Spectacled bears are the least known of the eight bear species and the only bear in South America. In northern Peru, a unique and highly endangered bear population is seriously threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. SBC conducts field research to identify areas with prime bear habitat and then partners with communities who own the land. Through these partnerships, SBC delivers conservation education and starts a new chapter of the Felti Program in the community.

The opportunity to participate in the Felti Program is an incentive for communities to protect spectacled bear habitat and builds trust and strong relationships between SBC and local people.