How we produce our fiber

Alpaca

Family holdings

Alpaca’s herds are bred in a family context in the High Andean Regions of Peru, mostly in Puno, Cusco and Arequipa, where each family takes care of about 150 animals per herd.

Alpacas are domestic animals living free, without stables and eating 100% natural pasture, without food supplements or other complementary food. They drink from natural springs and typical wetlands of these Regions located more than 3800 above sea level.

Drug administration is very low, used just in case of intestinal or skin parasites. In addition, Calpex is against invasive
practices such as artificial insemination.

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Shearing

Calpex is promoting community shearing, beneath canopies prepared for this purpose, following the strict rules in force.

The animals are laid down on plastic sheets for not
contaminating the fiber with further earthy or plant residues.

We make our electrical machines availableto breeders
so that shearing takes place quickly (a few minutes for each animal) and conducted by professionals.

tosa meccanica alpacaexport.org

Harvesting

Once the animals are sheared, we promote organized alpaca’s fiber harvest by separating the two different races, Huacaya and Suri, the categories and the colors (white or colored).

This activity is done in collaboration with first-level associations and cooperatives, who subsequently deliver the fiber to Calpex and we take charge of the next stages, classification and washing in Peru.

Fiber classification

Alpaca’s fiber classification takes place in premises loaned free of charge by local authorities such as the municipality of Santa Lucia in Lampa Province (Puno) and the district of Tisco inChivayProvince (Arequipa).

The masters of classification are local expertswho have been trained within the projects of international cooperation with Italian partners.

The masters divide the animal fleeces according to the six different fiber categories established by the strict Peruvian Technical Standards (NTP 231.301.2014) that we respect thoroughly. SB-Royal, Baby, Fleece are among the thinnest varieties, with 65mm length and up to 26,5 micron diameter. Washing is realized within the establishment of Pitata sac, a company in Arequipa.

Fiber classification

Alpaca’s fiber classification takes place in premises loaned free of charge by local authorities such as the municipality of Santa Lucia in Lampa Province (Puno) and the district of Tisco inChivayProvince (Arequipa).

The masters of classification are local expertswho have been trained within the projects of international cooperation with Italian partners.

The masters divide the animal fleeces according to the six different fiber categories established by the strict Peruvian Technical Standards (NTP 231.301.2014) that we respect thoroughly. SB-Royal, Baby, Fleece are among the thinnest varieties, with 65mm length and up to 26,5 micron diameter. Washing is realized within the establishment of Pitata sac, a company in Arequipa.

Combing in Italy

Once washed in Peru, the fiber is transferred to Italy at the Pettinatura di Verrone Srl (Biella) where it’s combed on behalf of Calpex, who is responsible for selling the semi-processed product (tops).

Wholesale

The combed fiber (tops) is sold to textile companies, spinners and woollen mills.
Our major clients are:

Fratelli Piacenza S.p.A
Polipeli S.p.A
Gargantu Srl
Progetto Lana Srl
The Schneider Group
Pecci Filati spa
Vicunia SA

Combing in Italy

Once washed in Peru, the fiber is transferred to Italy at the Pettinatura di Verrone Srl (Biella) where it’s combed on behalf of Calpex, who is responsible for selling the semi-processed product (tops).

Wholesale

The combed fiber (tops) is sold to textile companies, spinners and woollen mills.
Our major clients are:

Fratelli Piacenza S.p.A
Polipeli S.p.A
Gargantu Srl
Progetto Lana Srl
The Schneider Group
Pecci Filati spa
Vicunia SA

Calpex is implementing a genetic improvement programin the community of San Juan Bautista de Chajana (Cojata, Puno) seeking to improve the quality of the fiber in the long term.

Within the same community, the breeders and Calpex are working on an experimental traceability program with the aim of obtaining a certification for alpaca fiber, highlighting the various standards and good practices of breeders for animal welfare and the defense of the environment
within a transparent value chain.

Vicuna

Vicunas are wild animals living in the High Andean Regions.

Following years of lootings, smugglings and killings, they are now guarded and protected by local communities and the Peruvian government.

Nowadays, the use of their fiber is striclty controlled and certified by the Ministry of Agriculture, the sheared fiber is a quecha and aymara rural communities’ property and they decide collectively how to dispose of it.

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The Chaku

The chaku is an old ritual in which the whole community is engaged once a year, to gather the vicunias in a pen and to shear them.

This is realized under the strict authorization of State representatives. The physical state of every animal is assessed in order to verify if it is prepared for shearing.

Each fleece is weighted and placed in special containers for its preservation. Each fleece is identified and marked. In order to sell the vicunia’s fiber, the Cites must be requested to the competent authorities.

In the last years, Calpex has organized the direct exportation of more than 600kg of vicunia’s fiber coming from 15 different rural communities from Puno, Cusco and Arequipa, with remarkable economic benefits for them.

The Chaku

The chaku is an old ritual in which the whole community is engaged once a year, to gather the vicunias in a pen and to shear them.

This is realized under the strict authorization of State representatives. The physical state of every animal is assessed in order to verify if it is prepared for shearing.

Each fleece is weighted and placed in special containers for its preservation. Each fleece is identified and marked. In order to sell the vicunia’s fiber, the Cites must be requested to the competent authorities.

In the last years, Calpex has organized the direct exportation of more than 600kg of vicunia’s fiber coming from 15 different rural communities from Puno, Cusco and Arequipa, with remarkable economic benefits for them.

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