The Alpaca, Peru’s resource of ancestral value
Alpaca textile products are one of Peru’s most important resources. Alpaca is an animal coexisting in the life of Peruvians for over 5000 years, being the fundamental element in our pre-Columbian cultures. It’s part of our ancestral heritage. Beginning of 20th Century, Alpaca textiles gained international popularity thanks to the soft and durable nature of this fiber. Since 1970 Peruvian Alpaca industry has been exporting garments and textiles with increasing value, helping to develop an important supply chain around it. With a population close to 4 million animals, Peru has approximately 85% of the world’s Alpaca population. There are about 85,000 families (almost all the Alpaca fiber in Peru comes from small breeders) involved in raising these animals that live mostly in the south Andean part of Peru. These thousands of breeders are the ones that have raised and taken care of alpacas with love and dedication for many generations. For them who live at more than 4000 meters above sea level, alpaca represents their only source of income and survival..
This animal is not only important because of its vital economic presence, but also because of its beneficial effects on the Ecosystem. According to recognized ecologist Antonio Brack, alpaca farming “is the best and most efficient way to control that the Andes don’t go dry.” Hundreds of breeders participate in shearing alpacas seasonally.These shearing techniques have been improved gradually thanks to support from government projects, development organizations and private industry. One example is the technical guidelines for seasonal shearing and animal care provided in 2019 by the OIE, standards that ensure the welfare of animals during the process. Regular shearing is beneficial for Alpacas because it removes parasites and prevents potential skin infections and diseases.We are all involved in this supply chain: breeders, mills, knitting families, artisans, export companies and the yarn textile industry all benefit symbiotically from Alpaca. This is why we Peruvians stand for an industry that has developed around this beautiful and noble animal. In the last decades, different institutions, entrepreneurs, associations and breeders are increasingly cooperating to develop and implement best practices along the alpaca supply chain. The signers of this letter support the permanent development of a sustainable industry that treats the Alpaca with care and dignity. We reject any type of abuse of the animals whatsoever. All stakeholders in the Alpaca industry are committed to the ongoing improvement in the whole farming process, from the breeders in the Andes, to the artisans in the workshops to the mill workers that transform the fiber..
The Government of Peru, Peruvian universities, public institutions, trade associations, breeders cooperatives, alpaca farming communities and the private sector are unified in our commitment to work together to further develop a Responsible, Sustainable and Ecologically sensitive Alpaca industry, one that is the pride of our country as part of the world community.