Aitaro Collective

Aitaro Collective is a group of creative people united together under the common affinity for textile arts and the local folk tradition. We are based in Alexandros village, Lefkada and our current group originated from the fusion of a pre-existing group of some of the last weavers of Lefkada with some likeminded people with various skillsets (sewing, embroidery, ceramics, dyeing, printmaking etc).

We have formed a Social Cooperative Enterprise and our core revolves around creative expression, cultural heritage and social evolution in harmony with nature. Until two generations back, Lefkada had a notable folk tradition of weaving and embroidery, while also of producing and processing linen and wool, which have now become obsolete. We dream to be a bridge of the old ways to a new era. Our key goals are:

– To embody cultural tradition, safekeep and transmit the knowledge of the past for self-sufficiency with the active practice of handmade techniques in a collective process

– To experiment and test alternative production and trade systems investigating sustainability, social justice and circular economy solutions. In our first steps we create for special orders, we carry out training workshops in traditional and modern techniques, we learn from each other and train ourselves in cooperation.