HOW TO CONSIDER THE ECO-FRIENDLINESS OF PRODUCTS: ALPACA FIBER & COTTON

lpaca fiber: In other words, these fibers Cotton: regarding cot- Regarding the are organic just without ton, the cultivation of eco-friendli- having the (very expen- the plants has a very big ness of alpaca sive) certification. impact on the environ- Afiberit makes more ment (use of pesticides sense to consider an The main environmental and water! It is said to be OEKO-tex certification concern of alpaca products one of the most polluting instead of GOTS. Why? is thus found within the crops in the world). In this processing of the fibers, case GOTS is thus very The only difference -be mainly the washing and relevant, as it limits the use tween organic certified dyeing. OEKO TEX certi- of harmful products during and not organic certified fication restricts the use of crop cultivation. alpaca fiber is the use of harmful chemicals, as such (chemical) food additives being more relevant in this Looking for OEKO TEX and specific types of anti- case. Moreover, the only certified alpaca yarns biotics. In general, alpaca GOTS certified alpaca fiber limits the environmen- farmers don’t have money is coming from the private tal impact of alpaca fiber to buy food additives or farm of one of the biggest without excluding the antibiotics, meaning that yarn manufacturers. Buy- small farmers. Regard- most alpacas eat natural ing this yarn thus means ing cotton GOTS is rel- (organic) pasture and don’t leaving behind the small evant, as there the main get chemically hazardous independent farmers. environmental impact is antibiotics. in the cultivation. HOW TO CONSIDER THE ECO-FRIENDLINESS OF PRODUCTS?

Alpaca fiber: Regarding the eco-friendliness of alpaca fiber it makes more sense to consider an OEKO-tex certification instead of GOTS. Why? The only difference between organic certified and not organic certified alpaca fiber is the use of (chemical) food additives and specific types of antibiotics. In general, alpaca farmers don’t have money to buy food additives or antibiotics, meaning that most alpacas eat natural (organic) pasture and don’t get chemically hazardous antibiotics. In other words, these fibers are organic just without having the (very expensive) certification. The main environmental concern of alpaca products is thus found within the processing of the fibers, mainly the washing and dyeing. OEKO TEX certification restricts the use of harmful chemicals, as such being more relevant in this case. Moreover, the only GOTS certified alpaca fiber is coming from the private farm of one of the biggest yarn manufacturers. Buying this yarn thus means leaving behind the small independent farmers. BelowCotton: regardingan overview cotton, the of cultivation the OEKO of the plantsTEX has and a very GOTS big impact certified on the environment yarns of (use our of pesticidesmain providers. and water! It is said to be one of the most polluting crops in the world). In this case GOTS is thus very relevant, as it limits the !use Note: of harmful all GOTSproducts duringproducts crop cultivation. are OEKO TEX as well. Looking for OEKO TEX certified alpaca yarns limits the environmental impact of alpaca fiber without excluding the small farmers. Regarding cotton GOTS is relevant, as there the main environmental impact is in the cultivation.

Below an overview of the OEKO TEX and GOTS certified yarns of our main providers.

! Note: all GOTS products are OEKO TEX as well.

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