Ecuador · Sustainable Luxury · Est. 2026

Born in the Andes.
Refined by Design.

Urkaya brings Ecuador's finest natural materials — tagua jewelry, hand-woven textiles, and Amazonian guayusa — to conscious consumers and retailers worldwide.

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Handcrafted in Ecuador

0% EU Import Duty

Artisan Community Sourcing

Sustainable Materials Only

Export-Ready Documentation

Our Story

Born from two worlds.
Built for one purpose.

“Urkaya” comes from the Kichwa word for mountain. It is not a metaphor — it is a declaration of origin. Everything we make begins in the Andes and the Amazon basin of Ecuador: a country of extraordinary natural wealth and some of the world's most skilled hands.

We founded Urkaya because we believed that the tagua nut deserved better than a souvenir table. That guayusa deserved better than obscurity. That the weavers of Otavalo and the carvers of Montecristi deserved global markets — not just local ones.

The Shop

New arrivals

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Textiles

Andean Hoodie

Price on request

Textiles

Andean Sweater

Price on request

Textiles

Patterned Andean Sweater

Price on request

Origin & Impact

The Materials

Full materials guide →

Vegetable Ivory

Tagua

A seed from Ecuadorian palm trees, internationally recognised as the sustainable alternative to animal ivory. Hard, durable, warm in the hand — and better than plastic in every way that matters.

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Amazonian Botanical

Guayusa

Used for 1,500 years by Kichwa communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Natural caffeine, L-theanine, and antioxidants — without the crash of coffee or the edge of synthetic energy.

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Andean Heritage

Textiles

Hand-woven by Otavalo artisans using techniques over 2,000 years old. Natural fibres — sheep wool, alpaca, organic cotton — dyed with indigo, cochineal, and achiote. Every pattern is a cosmology.

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Transparency

From the Andes to your door

We keep our supply chain short, documented, and fully traceable — from the artisan's hands to the end customer, with no hidden steps and no anonymous intermediaries.

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Step 01

Harvest

Materials sustainably harvested from Ecuador’s forests and highlands by partner communities — by hand, in season.

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Step 02

Craft

Artisans in Montecristi and Otavalo shape, weave, and finish each piece by hand using traditional techniques passed down through generations.

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Step 03

Quality Check

Every batch is inspected against Urkaya’s standards. Anything that does not meet them is returned or repurposed — never sold.

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Step 04

Export

Full customs documentation prepared: phytosanitary certificates, certificates of origin, customs invoices. Zero import duty under the EU–Ecuador FTA.

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Step 05

Delivered

Minimal packaging. Tracked and insured shipping. Every order arrives knowing exactly where it came from and who made it.

Certifications & Standards

Built on verifiable integrity

We pursue the certifications that matter to our buyers — not as marketing tools, but as commitments to the people and places behind every product. Below is where we stand today.

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ARCSA Registration

● Active

Ecuador’s national health authority registration for guayusa production and export. Required for all food-grade botanical exports.

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EU–Ecuador FTA

● Active · 0% duty

Preferential import tariff for Ecuador-origin goods entering the EU. We provide certificates of origin with every shipment.

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Fair Trade (WFTO)

◐ In progress

Formal WFTO fair trade certification underway with our Ecuadorian artisan partner network. Expected completion 2026.

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Organic (Guayusa)

◐ In progress

Organic certification for the guayusa line through an accredited certifying body in Ecuador. Application submitted.

Frequently Asked

Questions & Answers

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Get in Touch

Let's start a conversation

Whether you're a retailer looking to stock Urkaya, a journalist researching sustainable trade, or a customer with a question — we are here, and we respond within 24 hours.

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Based in

Quito, Ecuador

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Phone & WhatsApp

Phone number to be added

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General

hello@urkaya.de

Born in the Andes.Refined by Design.

Born from two worlds.Built for one purpose.