Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Winter on the farm 2008



With the winter rush of Christmas orders mostly behind us we at PurelyAlpaca have taken time to enjoy the most beautiful snow our alpaca farm has seen in a decade.

The snow is still cold and locally we don't use salt or ash so even the roads are bright white. To get out of our driveway we need 4WD and Chains. We went through some serious heroics to get orders out quickly on one extemely important Christmas shipping day (but you'll have to ask about it privately, we won't disclose that publicly!)

It's truly gorgeous and it is exciting to know we will surely have a white Christmas!!

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to you!!

-Brian and staff at PurelyAlpaca

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Alpacas in tough times?

A recent article about investing in alpacas during these challenging economic times.

I don't know about the livestock industry at the moment but the garment industry continues to grow and grow. ALPACA makes an excellent all- natural, eco-friendly, non-polluting product that is soft, durable and luxurious. Emus, Llamas and other animals which had a "fad" following cannot rely on the commodity aspect that alpacas can. I do not see alpacas going away. Sure, prices will change but the top animals will always demand an impressive price. And once you've enjoyed a quality alpaca garment, you like me, will be a raging fan.

-Brian

Friday, November 21, 2008

Eco-friendly comment encourages expansion


Nathalie H from the U.K. writes...

Alpaca fibre seems to tick all the right boxes.

1. It is animal friendly, and cruelty free, as the animal is not killed, so appeals to vegetarians like me.

(Merino sheep in Australia are subjected to a hideous practice called mulesing, which people do not realise is going on, and people think that lambswool in the UK simply involves a haircut, but in reality, the animal has to be slaughtered very young for its meat, as the fleece on its own is almost worthless, as it just can not compete with cotton, & synthetics. That is why I like alpaca, because its fibre is highly valued in the marketplace.

2. It is also earth-friendly, because like you say so little industrial detergents are needed, as there is no lanolin. And it is biodegradeable of course, unlike sythetics.

For me, a perfect garment would also involve eco-friendly dyes, which unfortunately is still in its infancy.



Nathalie's comments highlight one of the strongest growing trends in eco-shopping, a desire to purchase fashions which not only look good but are good. PurelyAlpaca strives to use suppliers which follow fair trade principles, do not harm animals and reduce pollution to the environment.

Alpaca is naturally Earth-friendly due to its very nature. It has the added natural benefit of being washable in mild soap (instead of harsh polluting chemicals).

PurelyAlpaca regularly seeks products from vendors that work with small groups on indigenous peoples who earn their livelihood entirely from alpacas.

In my opinion, Alpacas, perhaps the world's oldest domestic livestock is poised to be the natural, non-polluting, eco-friendly clothing fashion material of this new century.

-Brian, PurelyAlpaca

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

New alpaca designer collection arrives for deeply discounted sale.

New alpaca designer collection arrives for deeply discounted sale.

Today arrived 4 cases of products from the Alpaca Allure collection. We will be offering all of these very nice designer items at clearance discount during the next few weeks. It's an excellent mix of alpaca sweaters, alpaca jackets, alpaca hats and more.

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Alpacas in the News

Alpacas in the News - From the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association (AOBA)

This article highlights the growth of the alpaca fam industry in the USA. Small American (and Canadian) farm growth is supported by the quickly growing alpaca garments industry.

For Immediate Release - October 5, 2008
Alpacas were on the front page of the Wall Street Journal, Friday October 3, 2008 with a catch title that is sure to spark interest. There was also an alpaca photo.
“When Stocks Tank, Some Investors Stampede to Alpacas and Turn to Drink”
by JENNIFER LEVITZ
Associated Press



Quoting the article:
“Peggy Parks, a 49-year-old auditor in Johnstown, Pa., turned to an unusual farm animal. "I've lost a fortune in stocks, and my 401(k) is falling through the floor. I feel comfortable in alpacas," she says. She invested $56,000 in a small herd that she believes has a better outlook than most mutual funds because of the animals' breeding potential.The national Alpaca Registry Inc., in Lincoln, Neb., says registrations are on pace to rise 7% this year and currently stand at 140,297. Ms. Parks says a female of "medium quality" can fetch $10,000 and that prices have been rising, supporting her hopes that she'll see a profit on her alpaca portfolio in five years.”


WSJ Link to "When Stocks Tank, Some Investors Stampede to Alpacas and Turn to Drink"