Tiwanaku Remembered
July 15, 2021Hi Patricia,
Thank you for the information regarding the cruelty to alpacas during shearing time.
Definitely distressing. I did some research and fortunately the company from which we
buy our alpaca yarn, Inca Group, is not named in the law suit. Michell Group is the accused.
According to the information on their website, Inca Tops researches and develops methods for
safely shearing, esquila, alpacas that has become the accepted norm for shearing in Peru and
is backed by the Peruvian government. Inca Tops visits alpaca breeders throughout Peru to
train or perform the shearing themselves as part of an agreement with the Peruvian government.
The yarn is traceable and the shearing technique is considered to be safe for the animals.
Please also know that alpacas are a domesticated animal that need to be sheared in order
to stay healthy and alive!
I’m including Inca Tops promotional video (sorry it’s in Spanish). Of course all the information I have is from the
company’s promotional information and I have not researched this further, other than browsing
the internet for other sources, and asking my suppliers in Peru who have not heard of any bad things
about Inca Tops.
I hope this information gives you a little piece of mind that hopefully the law suit addresses a small
group of horrible people and that the majority of alpacas are treated well and with respect.
Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention and for supporting our business and our knitters.
Little Journeys Chicago
