Llama wool: properties and origin

Fair fashion and tradition from the Andes, close to nature and especially gentle on the skin and the earth.

Llama wool is a natural, wild fibre from the camelid family. Ours comes from La Puna, in Jujuy (Argentina). Llamas are native to South America and roam freely in Argentina. They are used to high, cold and dry areas, and Andean producers raise them in the wild, in a way that suits the species.

Hand shearing and animal welfare

Llamas are generally shorn by hand with special shears, only by local specialists who keep these traditional techniques alive. Shearing takes about 20 minutes per animal and is usually done every two years. Unlike mechanical shearing, it is gentle on the animal and leaves the coat long enough to protect it from temperature changes and rain at that altitude in the Andes. This is how we ensure animal welfare.

Properties of llama wool

Warm – fluffy – durable – anti-allergic – breathable – eco-friendly

Llama wool is a natural, sustainable and traditional fibre: it is warm, light, fluffy and durable. It is prized worldwide as a luxury fibre for its origin, its properties, its traceability and its timeless character: its garments are passed down from generation to generation.

• Hypoallergenic: it is made of natural proteins with very little lanolin and grease.
• Strong and water-repellent, with excellent insulating and temperature-regulating properties.
• Antibacterial: in its natural state, bacteria cannot multiply on its surface and die off.
• Biodegradable.

Fair trade in the Puna

Our supplier is a certified B Corp company that works with the well-known Warmi Sayajsunqo Association, active in the Puna communities of north-west Argentina, where llamas are raised by producers with scarce economic and natural resources. The Association buys the fibre directly from the producers under fair-trade conditions, and the community uses the profits from the textiles sold to fund health, resource management, craft and education projects.

We also work with a community of women artisans in Argentina who create their products from local resources with sustainable practices. Their techniques range from hand spinning to loom weaving and knitting, and they dye with elements of nature: woods, seeds, plants and herbs. The result is truly unique pieces.

Our llama wool products

Discover our llama wool blankets and bed throws, scarves, ponchos and baby llama sweaters.