Introducing Traceable Alpaca™

The Andes Mountains have been home to alpacas for millions of years. They live alongside Peruvian families (called ‘alpaqueros’). Each herd contains only 60-90 alpacas and is cared for by a single family. Farms are scattered throughout the Andean Highlands; most can only be reached by horse.

Shearing is an ancient and essential practice that maintains the alpaca’s health and hygiene as they’re unable to shed their fleece coat alone. If the fleece is too long, the animals are at risk of overheating, becoming immobilized, more susceptible to predation, and developing parasitic infections around the breech.

Incredibly, each fiber is hand sorted by women specially trained to differentiate the micron diameters - the thinner the fiber, the softer the fabric. That’s why we use Royal Alpaca in the majority of our garments (17-19 microns). This kinetic knowledge has been passed down through generations.

Once sorted and washed to remove any dirt, the fibers are colored with environmentally-friendly dyes (OEKO TEX + GOTS certified). In some cases, we don’t use any dyes and rely solely on the natural hues from the alpacas. After dyeing, the fiber goes through a carding machine and is spun into different yarns, all depending on the final product.

We work with our team of Peruvian artisans on each design. The fabric is crafted using specialized knitting equipment and panels are sewn together to create a flexible dynamic sweater. Each woman signs the sweater that they made before they are sorted based on the material’s origin. 

A unique handwoven Inca ID crafted in Chincherois is added to each sweater. We've partnered with CTTC to fully employ over 100 Quechua women at 4x the family living wage.

Traveling through the Americas from South to North, your sweater is shipped with fully biodegradable packaging. Made with 100% decomposable materials, you can literally compost it! Transportation is also made carbon neutral through our partnership with EcoCart.

What you hold in your hands is no longer just a sweater, but the living result of generations of knowledge, millions of years of evolution, and the meaningful co-existence between the land, farmers, and alpacas in Peru. 

Through our partnership with AIA, 1% of sales support regenerative agriculture and alpaca families. Another 1% funds the education of Peruvian young women through Peruvian Hearts. The story of your sweater and impact is truly just beginning.