Fusion Hair Extension - Clothing

 Only white alpacas in Peru?

Archaeological evidence reveals that as far back as 400 B.C. early Peruvian cultures already used the camelid fibres in textiles. But it wasn't until the Inca Empire that the domestication of the alpaca reached a high level of development. When the Spanish arrive in South America, they found well organized and prosperous alpaca herds.

At the present time, the world alpaca population is around 3,135,000 head. Approximately 90% of this population is in Peru. The Peruvian alpaca herd is found mainly in the central and southern provinces and is tended by many peasant families on individual bases.

The Fibre

Less dense than lamb's wool, the alpaca fibre is warmer and it is also almost three times more resistant than wool, and twice as resistance as mohair.

Alpaca also is one of the longest natural fibres found in the market, and for this reason it is utilized to manufacture raised-hair fabrics and imitation animal skins.

In Peru 80% of the alpaca fibre is processed by machine and exported as tops and slivers; the remaining portion is exported as yarns, fabrics and handicraft items.

The Colors

Alpaca possesses one great advantage over other natural fibres. Apart from the special characteristics already described, the alpaca fibre comes in a variety of natural colors from the whitest white to the most music video production black, including around twenty brown and gray tones. Color combinations are therefore practically unlimited.

Commercial situation of alpacas

The trade statistics (1980) put alpaca export at 8.8 million pounds in TOPS, SLIVERS and yarn. All transformed by machine. However since 1990 the textile factory only requires from the alpaca producers, the WHITE fibre to be dyed with chemical to get assorted colors included the natural ones.

The result is that Alpaqueros cannot get their needed income by selling the colored fibre to the factory. So they have only two alternatives: fusion links hair extensions the animals to sell the meat, the fur, etc. or to sell the colored alpacas to trading companies (including the factory) to be exported alive to other countries.

Actually as a result of that most of the alpacas in Peru are white, the browns, grays, and blacks are disappearing maybe forever.

PUNKU and MINKA’s work

Since 1979, an ONG “MINKA” has been doing research, training and organizing producers to transform by hand the COLORED alpaca fibre, using the traditional techniques, developing new products designs and promoting them into the international markets.

On the other hand, MINKA leads a commercial project that aims to offer unique, organic-ecologic, high quality and beautiful garments, made with 100% Alpaca fine hair and at the same time protecting the lovely colored alpacas in Peru.