Vicuna Salvation: A Success Story

Although most people have heard of the renowned baby alpaca wool used to manufacture gorgeous scarves and cozy sweaters, their lesser-known camelid relative called Vicuna is actually the one whose fiber is regarded as the rarest and finest in the world. Vicuna fiber, with its stunning golden color, was once reserved only for royalty and is now regarded as the world's highest quality natural fiber. One strand of vicuna wool is around 12 microns in measurement or 12 thousandths of a millimeter. That is approximately 7 microns finer than the finest cashmere!

But this isn't the only reason why vicuna wool clothing is so sought after and pricey. Vicunas are endemic to South America's high Andes, where they live alongside impoverished human settlements at elevations exceeding 4,000 meters. The sun's rays can penetrate the thin atmosphere, resulting in reasonably mild temperatures during the day, but temperatures fall below freezing during nighttime. The thick yet soft coat of the Vicuna is a unique adaption that traps layers of warm air close to its body, allowing it to withstand these frigid conditions.

One Vicuna only produces approximately one pound of wool annually, and the fibers are so delicate that they cannot be colored or treated with any of the chemicals often used in the textile industry. Since the vicuna roams freely in the Andes Mountains, quite literally in the middle of nowhere, it became an endangered species threatened by a highly profitable black market. It faced its most critical situation between 1988 and 1993 when only 67,000 individuals remained in Peru. Nowadays, its shearing process is filled with rigorous conservation requirements in order to preserve its population. 

The Convention on the Conservation and Management of the Vicuna, signed by Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, has allowed for the recovery of this camelid, understanding that keeping Vicuna populations wild is the most cost-effective and efficient approach to safeguard them. The government allows the local communities to benefit. They not only harvest their wool but they care for them and ensure the conservation of this remarkable species. This is mutually beneficial and has proven to be highly successful.

To learn more about the incredible Vicuna salvation success story make sure not to miss the documentary featuring our founder Santiago Ortega coming soon to major streaming platforms:

We hope you find this information interesting. We have a whole section showcasing the most luxurious garments made of Vicuna fiber. If you have any questions or if there's anything we can help you with, don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected] or call us at 888-308-2636.