The alpaca is a type of camel native to the Andes Mountains of Bolivia and Peru. Their exceptionally soft coat maintains a silk-like sheen and the insulation provided by the long, light and durable fur makes it universally desirable. They are, in fact, known as the “treasure of the Andes.”
According to research done by the Fair Trade Company, People Tree, due to the popular demand by large retailers for the easy-to-dye white fur, the price for black, dark brown and grey alpacas has dropped to the point where the animals are now sold for their meat, thus incurring significant losses in the non-white alpaca population.
“People Tree” has taken upon itself to design and sell a variety of colored alpaca items in the hope of helping increase the number of non-white herds. A typical scarf requires approximately 200 grams of fur, and one kilogram of fur can normally be harvested from an alpaca each year. Do the math, and you’ll see it only takes five scarves to save one animal. So, how about warming your body and soul with a colored alpaca this winter?
Fair Trade Company “People Tree”
http://www.peopletree.co.jp
http://www.peopletree.co.jp/07aw/07aw_w_ak.html
