Values | Mission | Vision
Our Values:
- Dignidad (Dignity) Every artisan we work with is treated as the master craftsman they are, with compensation and respect that honors their skill and experience.
- Tradición (Tradition) We seek to preserve and celebrate centuries-old techniques while applying them to contemporary luxury design.
- Comunidad (Community) Our success is measured not just in sales, but in the positive impact we create in Cotacachi and beyond.
- Excelencia (Excellence) We accept nothing less than perfection in craftsmanship, materials, and customer experience.
Mission
We bridge two worlds: the generations-old expertise of Ecuadorian artisans and customers who value authenticity over logos, quality over trends..
Every piece represents more than exceptional craftsmanship—it represents a commitment to preserving cultural heritage while creating economic opportunities that honor both tradition and progress
When you buy from us, you're not just acquiring a leather item; you're becoming part of a story that spans centuries and supports futures.
Why it Matters
For the Craftsman in Cotacachi, leather working isn't just a profession—it's a tradition passed down through generations.
Our partnerships ensure they receive compensation that honors their expertise. We don't negotiate them down to the lowest price—we pay above what the market bears, so they can maintain their craft with dignity while supporting their families and training the next generation.
For the Community Our commitment extends beyond individual artisans to the entire Cotacachi community.
For You We believe your purchases should align with your values. When you know exactly whose hands made what you carry, every purchase becomes purposeful.
Our pieces are designed for people who appreciate that true quality comes from human hands, not factory lines—and that the best goods don't need logos because the craftsmanship
speaks for itself.
Southern Route Trading Company was born from the belief that exceptional craftsmanship deserves a world stage where the artisans are recognized.
My name is Andrés, and I am the founder of Southern Route Trading Company. I grew up in Quito, Ecuador's capital city. But my grandmother lived in Otavalo—just seven miles from Cotacachi, Ecuador's leather capital.
As a kid we'd make the trip to "the leather town" whenever we had visitors. I remember streets lined with workshops, the smell of leather everywhere, rows of jackets and bags.
But I was too young to care about leather and we were too poor to afford any. I never thought I'd build a business around those workshops.
Thirty years later, I've lived most of my adult life in the United States. But Ecuador neverstopped being home.
On a trip to there a few years ago we did what every tourist does: we went to Cotacachi to buy quality leather goods. That’s when I had the realization that the craftsmanship found there rivals anything coming out of Italy or traditional European ateliers. So why had I never seen Cotacachi leather in the United States?
The answer was simple: Nobody was bringing it to market. These exceptional pieces stayed in Ecuador, discovered only by tourists willing to make the trip. The more I learned, the more compelling the opportunity became. These weren't nameless factory workers. They were third and fourth-generation artisan workshops, still using techniques passed down through the decades. Their work deserved a bigger stage.
Southern Route Trading launched on that premise: Show the world what Ecuador artisans can do. And not with vague "handmade in Ecuador" claims. With real names and real stories. Real workshops you can see.
Every product we carry credits the artisan who made it. Every workshop
is verified. Every story is honest. I believe these artisans deserve to be recognized globally for what they are: craftspeople whose quality and creativity rival the world's best leather workshops. They deserve that stage.
When you buy from Southern Route, you're not just getting exceptional leather goods. You're discovering artisans most people never know.
You're supporting multiple generations of family tradition. You're helping continue work that deserves international recognition. You're ensuring that decades of knowledge gets passed forward. And you're helping prove that Ecuadorian craftsmanship belongs on the world stage—not just in tourist shops, but in the hands of people who recognize quality when they see it.
That's what Southern Route is building. Real artisans, real workshops, real transparency.