About Us

Jamie and Veronica

Choleetos is a small New Zealand based company started by us, Jamie and Veronica Norton, which specialises in importing Peruvian clothing.

Since Veronica (originally from Peru) moved to New Zealand, she had always dreamed of having a business to keep her connected to her roots, and at the same time allowing her to make a difference in the world.

We have always admired the skills and great work of the artisans in her city and that is why our kids and us have been wearing these Peruvian clothing for years. We consider them really special pieces of clothing, not only for the quality of the work, but also for whom and how they are made. That is how the idea of Choleetos was borne.

We are proud to bring you beautiful, unique, quality items that are ethically handmade by skilled artisans in the Andean Mountains of Peru. Items that not only will make you look and feel special, but also will help you make a difference in the world by providing artisans the opportunity to develop new markets, earn an income and take care of their families while preserving their skills and expressing their cultural heritage.

We are happy to share our passion for Peruvian Culture with you.

 

Family Library in Carhui Community, Pitumarca, province of Canchis, Cusco Region, Peru.
Credit: Adrian Portugal

What does "Choleetos" mean?

Our name was inspired by the word "Cholitos" (pronounced Choleetos), which are the native Peruvian kids from the Andean mountains of Peru. Each time our kids were using the jumpers they said: "Look mummy! I'm like a cholito!" So we thought that it would be a great name for our business.

This photo is one of our favourites and it was taken by the photographer Adrian Portugal.