Alpaca Beanie

The People Bolivian farmers co-op formed by 1,200 families

The entire manufacturing cooperative based in Bolivia employs 1,200 families. From farmers in the highlands to fiber processors in the city, and the teams of women who knit the finished product from their homes, these families maintain ownership over the entire manufacturing process as well as its development. By working from home, the women can dedicate more time to family culture, while benefiting from stable living conditions and fair wages. Each of these aspects contributes to a larger process that supports local lifestyles, Andean craftsmanship, and the future of this community.

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The Land Landlocked & few global trade opportunities, but home to the world’s oldest alpaca traditions

Bolivia is one of two landlocked South American nations, making this land quite remote and isolated from the world manufacturing community. But the Bolivian Highlands are home to one of the world’s oldest domesticated livestock - a sustainable source of raw material for fine textiles and products, the alpaca. The Andes, where the Bolivian alpaca and their ranchers live symbiotically, is the longest continental mountain range in the world, and was once part of the legendary Inca trade network, where goods were exchanged by farmers, artisans, and merchants. Today, Proyecto Alpaca (The Alpaca Project) is based on keeping these legendary traditions alive: Locals continue to produce fine yarns, empowering their communities to develop the finished goods using their own ancestral skills. The living practice of these ancestral skills, adapted to the needs of our days, continues to express a key relationship for sustainability - that which is formed between the land, its people, and animals.

The Process No ingredients - undyed in their virgin state the fibers are transformed into yarn for artisans to knit

The thick winter coat of domesticated Alpaca is shorn in the spring, allowing them to graze more comfortably in the summer heat, while providing quality fiber for processing in La Paz. No ingredients - undyed and in their virgin state, the fibers are transformed into yarn for local artisans to pick up and take home for knitting the final product. After crafting, labeling, and quality control, these fine garments are shipped to IOAN to be offered to our curious customers from all around the world.

The Craft Stitch by stitch, generation to generation

Stitch by stitch, this centuries-old tradition needs to be kept alive. From humanely raising and shearing Huacaya Alpaca to hand-knitting a variety of finished goods, the ancestral techniques employed in Proyecto Alpaca carry both history and a commitment to using manufacturing practices that support both cultural and environmental sustainability. Self-sustaining without contamination is what the Alpaca Project is all about.