5 Minutes With: La Sierra Alpaca - agos - co

5 Minutes With: La Sierra Alpaca

"We know that the future of fashion is slow. Real sustainability is based on long-term stewardship of both natural and human resources, resulting in a healthy environment, economic profitability, and social and economic equity." —La Sierra

Behind La Sierra

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La Sierra is an Australian brand which was founded on the desire to deliver ethical elegance for your wardrobe and home from South America to the homeland Australia. Artisans handcraft La Sierra's beautiful textiles in Ecuador and Peru using eco-friendly and sustainable Alpaca fibre. "We know that the future of fashion is slow. Real sustainability is based on long-term stewardship of both natural and human resources, resulting in a healthy environment, economic profitability, and social and economic equity,"  illustrates La Sierra Alpaca. 
Founder Sophia, visiting the Alpaca farm in Peru

Based on family values, morality, and integrity, the team behind La Sierra pride themselves in connecting the consumer with the maker. "We strive to support our artisans, not just through fair pay and high-standard working conditions, but also through connection. We feel like our artisans are family, and we treat them as such." 

The Artisans

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La Sierra works with artisans from two distinct villages in South America: the Quechua indigenous people from the Andes Mountains of Northern Ecuador, and the Aymara indigenous people from the Lake Titicaca District in Southern Peru.

Proclaiming their purpose, La Sierra share with us how they contribute to following Fair Trade practices, "we help these artisans directly to make a sustainable living for their families, to send their children to school, and to provide much-needed health care. " 

Founder Sophia with the ladies of the Suri Andino Women's Knitting Organisation

Meet the Alpacas

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 Did you know that Alpacas are herd animals and must have company? They can die of loneliness if kept alone.

Alpaca is one of the most sustainable fibres on the Earth, especially when the fibre is handcrafted. Notifying the world about the sustainability of Alpaca fibre is not only crucial for the future of our planet, but also for the long-term social, cultural and economic wellbeing of artisan communities that have endured for generations in South America. "The crafts of Alpaca textiles are the lifeline of so many villages in South America, and through La Sierra, we want to keep this sustainable and ethical tradition alive," state La Sierra.  

Alpacas are notably earth-friendly animals and are farmed with sustainable practices in their native habitat. These sustainable practices constitute a healthy environment, healthy animals, economic profitability, and social and economic equity. An alpaca produces enough fleece each year to create several soft, warm sweaters and blankets for our comfort. " This is only one of how the alpaca contributes to slow fashion, sustainability, and energy conservation. 

"We are proud to work with the communities and individuals that we do, and we want the world to know them for their work." — La Sierra Alpaca.