Unlike down or wool, alpaca fiber is never treated with harsh chemicals to remove the natural wool odour or to kill microscopic insects which are generally present in down. They also slammed pregnant alpacas onto tables. This is a really good summary article that is worth the read: http://animals.mom.me/should-alpacas-sheared-3468.html, [–]miosgoldenchance 2 points3 points4 points 3 years ago (2 children). 10 comments. Alpacas need their fleece to be cut in order to avoid health risks and sheering them is therefore not cruel. Mallkini workers pulled alpacas up off the floor by the tail and yanked them around. If you are, please stop. Cruelty Behind the Wool Industry In addition to alpacas, shearers obtain wool from sheep, goats, and rabbits⁠. use the following search parameters to narrow your results: all about alpacas. Alpacas tend to suffer in humidity, so that plays a big part anywhere that isn't at high elevation. My goal is to empower them. They don’t see alpacas as a mere source of income, but as a part of the family. Alpaca Wool (Brown) is a crop item in Story of Seasons Pioneers of Olive Town (SoS PoOT). Alpaca wool is soft and possesses water and flame resistant properties, making it a valuable commodity. In other words, is alpaca cruelty free? Alpaca fiber can absorb large quantities of moisture vapour, and keep it away from the body, resulting in … Cutting should not happen during the shearing process, but I do believe that it is reasonable to keep in mind that we can also cut ourselves when we shave our bodies! If you don't mind, do you have any other general resources (books, websites, associations) you'd recommend? Instead of opting for the big, widely available, mass-produced products, look for small brands that use the fleece of their own alpacas to make their own products. In order to make the experience as little stressful as possible, you will need at least three people to attend the shearing process: one person to cut off the fleece, one to separate it and one to comfort and support the alpaca. Got 4 alpacas in MA, they will die from heat exhaustion if they were not sheared once a year! Using Animal for Wool is Cruel. Rescue farms, like the one Glover and co-owner Shari Bond run, are able to take in abused alpacas, nurse them back to health, and find caring new homes for the animals. or...? [–]miosgoldenchance 2 points3 points4 points 3 years ago (4 children). Archived. It is light-weight, warm, durable, soft and not itchy at all. However, animal cruelty is more likely to occur on large-scale mass producing farms, not as much on small farms. A few months ago (June 2020), animal activists from PETA came out with a video about cruel (shearing) practises on a large alpaca farm in Peru. Check them out by clicking the links! Animal rights groups say the wool industry is inherently cruel. They source their fleece from small, local farmers. And they’re not killed for their wool, either. Forgive my ignorance. There are so many things we can do to make small change and help make this world more loving, sustainable and ethical. Torsion (Twisting) After carding, it is time for the torsion of the wool. Variety. It's been around for a while but alpaca care has not changed substantially in the past couple of decades anyway :-). Especially in the Andean highlands, where indigenous beliefs and practises are still very, very common, including a very, very respectful treatment towards all living beings. Cute Alpacas & Llamas Compilation (Cuteness Overload)🦙. Alpacas are generally not mass-farmed and live in their natural habitat.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'yanantin_alpaca_com-box-3','ezslot_8',103,'0','0'])); While most alpaca wool is generally cruelty free, there’s a couple of things to keep in mind to make sure that the alpaca woolen garment that you’re about to purchase is actually cruelty free, too. level 1. Yanantin Alpaca is a sustainable brand of alpaca woolen products. But shearing is a source of stress for the animals. Mother Nature provided alpacas with a thick, warm and protective fleece. I spent some time with a vet that saw alpacas and he did teach me about how humidity affects heat index, but he gave me a slightly different cutoff than the article did - it was in the south central US so I'd imagine most of the alpacas there are a bit more acclimated to heat. , alpaca wool is one of the most ethical products currently available that is completely eco-friendly and cruelty-free at the same time. They're just so darn cute lol. Anything over 85 degrees or so, even without humidity, is borderline dangerously hot for them. This requires them to be shorn regularly, just like sheep. Does Alpaca Farming Support Indigenous People? Wool is not just a haircut. On the flipside, there aren't many vets willing to see them here so the few camelid owners in the area don't have many options. They're getting shaved anyway. 10. While alpaca is mostly sourced from Peru, sustainable alpaca farms have also cropped up throughout Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United States. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. January 24th, 2020 | 0 Comments. I'm a vet student with no camelid experience before vet school but love working with them, so I've been reading up on them in my spare time and lurking on this sub for any extra knowledge. Did you know alpaca wool is super sustainable?! Like sheep’s wool, alpaca fibers have been used to make clothes and blankets for hundreds of years. Alpaca Wool Cruelty – Ground-Breaking Undercover Exposé that's about it. hide. Alpaca wool is an entirely biodegradable fabric, which means that it does not pollute the hydrosphere or biosphere. Another reason clothing made from pure alpaca wool doesn't feel itchy is that it's naturally softer than sheep's wool. In the US it would be a pretty limited area - areas of the mountain west for the most part. According to Alpaca Palace, it is necessary to shear alpacas because they do not shed their fleece. If you’re interested in sustainable fashion, you may have noticed that good quality clothing is a huge step in the right direction to use your clothes for longer periods of time and buy less. I love this principle because it ensures the quality of the wool, without compromising on animal welfare (animal treatment is taken very seriously in Bolivia). eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'yanantin_alpaca_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',110,'0','0'])); I love everything alpaca, sustainable and green. Rendered by PID 23107 on r2-app-089d40313a34083fa at 2021-05-19 20:51:59.812973+00:00 running c993943 country code: FR. Ia it cruel to wear alpaca wool? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. According to one veterinary expert who reviewed the footage, such “excessive force applied to the bones, joints, and soft tissues in the area” would cause dislocations, fractures, and severe permanent nerve damage. Sort by. Depends on climate, but generally this is true. “Whether it’s … It also guarantees a continuous income for indigenous alpaqueros, maintaining local traditions at the same time. Alpaca fleece is the natural fiber harvested from an alpaca. It is a soft, durable, luxurious, and silky natural fiber. When I'm not writing about the wonderful features of alpaca wool, you can find me reading, hiking or cooking. In context, this means that alpacas on small farms are treated as such: a family member. share. The footage was obtained from the world’s largest privately-owned alpaca wool producer located in Mallkini, Peru. Alpacas are typically sheared once per year in the spring. We are currently processing the translation and the article will be updated soon. Your e-mail address is only used to send you our newsletter and information about the activities of Yanantin Alpaca. en garment that you’re about to purchase is actually cruelty free, According to one veterinary expert who reviewed the footage, such “excessive force applied to the bones, joints, and soft tissues in the area” would cause dislocations, fractures, and severe permanent nerve damage. My name is Eveline and I started Yanantin Alpaca after having spent five years living in South America. Alpaca fleece is the natural fiber harvested from an alpaca. The animals are not harmed by the harvesting of wool and responsible owners accomplish this task without traumatizing their animals. Yanantin stands for slow fashion and quality. The least thing you should look for is the source of the wool. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'yanantin_alpaca_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',113,'0','0'])); According to Science Daily, it has been proven that shearing an alpaca in a standing position is much less stressful for the animal. The group also captured a worker standing on an alpaca’s neck and others crudely stitching up wounds the animals suffered while they were shorn. [–]rxtreme 0 points1 point2 points 3 years ago (0 children), I'm sure that our Florida Alpacas are happy to have the shave, if it didn't get sold for clothes it would go in the compost bin. (and How Do You Check?). There are two different types of alpaca fleece. Alpaca cruelty, according to Cross Creek’s owners, is predominantly passive. But what is it that makes such materials sustainable? If you are curious to learn more about sustainable fashion, you might have read about many different examples of fabrics and materials that don’t leave (as much of) a footprint on the planet. They spend their entire lives roaming freely in their native habitat, the Andes mountains, where they fit right into the ecology. When it comes to alpaca wool, I have written a few more articles that can help inform you about your beliefs. Alpaca shearing is not cruel, and it is done for the safety and welfare of the animal. Someone correct me if I'm wrong? ), (Reversible) Hat 100% Alpaca Wool Old Roses, Loosely Knitted Large Scarf Baby Alpaca & Merino Wool Blend Champagne, Knitted Headband 100% Alpaca Wool Silvery Grey, Baby Blanket 100% Undyed Baby Alpaca Wool Baby Beige, Knitted Headband 100% Alpaca Wool Grasshopper Green. © 2021 reddit inc. All rights reserved. Yes, it is cruel. I live and plan to practice a bit north of that, so your article was very helpful! Alpaca yarn is hypoallergenic. Fleeces that have had two years time to grow instead of one, will carry more dirt and vegetable matter and despite it being heavier, that doesn’t mean it is of better quality. report. Ostriches are like alpacas with (irrelevant) wings, Michael Day For future farmers, Sexton and Saitone laid out some of the major hallmarks of a speculative bubble, including: (1) The asset not the product is the thing being marketed (i.e. Hi! For people in Andean countries, the valuable fleece of alpacas can be an important source of income. Huacaya fiber grows and looks similar to sheep wool in that the animal looks "fluffy". Check out the timeless collection of alpaca woolen products in the webshop:Yanantin Alpaca Shopeval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'yanantin_alpaca_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',114,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'yanantin_alpaca_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',114,'0','1'])); .banner-1-multi-114{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:15px !important;margin-left:0px !important;margin-right:0px !important;margin-top:15px !important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. All Angora rabbits are large, some startlingly so: Their wool grows to about 3″ (7.5cm), though some can be up to 5″ (12.5cm). Camelids aren't very common in are area so my school doesn't teach us much about them. Unlike Sheep wool, Alpaca fiber can be died to all colors. Indigenous methods also don’t include fast-blazing, buzzing razors, but manual scissors. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'yanantin_alpaca_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_0',112,'0','0'])); Since it is possible that animals accidentally get cut during the shearing process, it is important that appropriate veterinary care is given to treat the wounds. Alpacas, a species of New World camelids, have very thick wool. While the shearing process can be stressful, it should never be harmful, as long as shearers practise caution. This thread is archived. This makes it hypoallergenic … 77% Upvoted. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy. But alpaca wool doesn’t come with any of those concerns. The most common fleece type comes from a Huacaya. (and How Do You Check? For this reason, animals are put on their side and restrained by their feet. 14 Fabrics to Avoid When You Want to Shop SUSTAINABLE. Any less number of people could be considered to be potentially dangerous for the alpaca. [–]Naughty_Alpaca 1 point2 points3 points 3 years ago (1 child), A good web page for very high-level info is here, see the subtopics under care and shelter: http://www.gatewayalpacas.com/alpacas/care-and-shelter.htm, A solid print book is Caring for Llamas & Alpacas: A Health and Management Guide by Clare Hoffman, DVM and Ingrid Asmus. While this might look cruel, it is actually done to protect the animal from cutting itself! ; including different breeds of the said species. Dismiss, link to 14 Fabrics to Avoid When You Want to Shop SUSTAINABLE, link to What Is Good Quality Clothing? Organizations like PETA would love you to think alpaca shearing is cruel and wearing alpaca fiber is inhumane. Thanks a million! Ethical vegans avoid all animal-derived products for the risk of harming animals. PETA's current sheep campaign—typically broadcast with the tagline, "there is no such thing as humane wool"—was launched in 2014 after the organization released footage of sheep being cut, manhandled and mangled at wool-shearing operations in the U.S. and Australia. So, sadly enough, cruel alpaca wool does exist. I would love to be able to help them as much as I can! A first-of-its-kind PETA US undercover investigation of Mallkini – the world’s largest privately owned alpaca farm in Peru – revealed that workers held struggling, crying alpacas by the ears as they were roughly shorn with electric clippers, causing some to vomit out of fear. Get an ad-free experience with special benefits, and directly support Reddit. All our items are made by women in Bolivia. Alpacas arrive at … Farms typically pay shearers by the volume, instead of by the hour. [–]ferretninja91 4 points5 points6 points 3 years ago (0 children). During this step, the wool will … No. Compare this to 84% small farms (<150 alpacas), which own 10.5% of the agricultural surface (source: Sandra Schmid, 2006). if you enjoy seeing these lovable creatures and their crazy antics, then join this community. [–]miosgoldenchance 0 points1 point2 points 3 years ago (0 children). Ia it cruel to wear alpaca wool? It was a great read. The alpaca fleece is lacking in lanolin.