Vicuña Wool: Producers Or Exporters?

[Montauk_Project]

I am trying to get in touch with someone who either produces vicuña wool or who exports vicuña wool, AKA alpaca. Argentina exports a lot, but so far unable to get in touch via googling.
I just found out that a suit made from this can go for 30,000 Euros! who knew?
Any leads would be much appreciated, even a phone number of a weaver that you bought a poncho from on your last trip up north.

 

[thomasb]

Try INTA: http://inta.gob.ar/sobre-el-inta/que-es-el-inta

 

[mjohnstone]

Carlos Poplavsky: [email protected]

Prod. Arg. de llamas alpacas y guanacos asociados: [email protected]

 

[nledec]

Vicuña and alpaca are not the same thing. Be careful.
There is wool from llamas, wool from alpaca (baby llama), and wool from vicuña.
Vicuña is a small animal that looks like a mix between a llama and bambi.
Its fur has always been highly prized and very expensive. The animals primarily (and I'd say almost exclusively but I may be wrong) live in the altiplano of Bolivia in Peru. It was always very expensive difficult to get, but as far as I know its sale has been prohibited for about 3 years since the vicuñas were listed as endangered (although perhaps that has changed). I would be extremely suspicious of anyone selling vicuña. Best case scenario they are most likely trying to pass off alpaca as vicuña which is NOT the same thing.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Argentina has very few vicuñas in any event. The bulk of them are in protected areas in Peru and Chile, which enforce strict laws about any commercialization.

 

[Montauk_Project]

Thanks! I talked around, there are vicuña producers in Argentina BUT very few, and in very remote areas of Catamarca--this was confirmed by the a rep from Catamarca industry. There is also a vicuña yarn center in Buenos Aires.
They can only be harvested every three years.
thanks for correcting me about alpaca--I think the problems are the translations.
I will look into the contacts.
And don´t worry, I won´t be buying any vicuña wool!