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We live in times where everything has to be sustainable to get that green tick . Being sustainable for an agriculture based business in the textile and clothing industry must support the environment by preserving natural resources, minimizing waste, and encouraging biodiversity. The demand for alpaca fibre in the textile and fashion industry can be attributed to the increasing awareness of its high quality and sustainability. Our journey along the sustainable route started when we got our first alpacas 12 years ago. Alpacas are one of the most sustainable fibre producing animals on earth – they have a very low foot print on the ecosystem. Alpaca are significantly better for the environment than sheep (including merino) or goats that produce cashmere. Goats and sheep have hooves which can cause land degradation. Alpaca have two toes and padded feet that are gentle and do not harm the earth. When they graze they simply nibble at the tops of plants and grass. They do not damage or destroy root systems. The land is left undamaged and plants grow after alpacas have been in the field. We ensure that our alpacas do not graze in the same field all the time. We want the grass to grow again and be regenerated. We use our alpaca manure to fertilise our fields. Alpacas have a very efficient digestion system. This is evident in the decomposition of organic matter content in their manure. Alpaca manure is lower in organic matter than other manure from livestock (cows sheep goats and horses). This results in a higher concentration of nutrients and improves both soil texture and water-holding capacity. It has the highest N-P-K of any natural fertilizer. (Nitrogen Potassium and Phosphorous). Alpaca manure can be spread directly onto plants without burning them. Alpacas are camelids – members of the camel family. They do not need gallons of water to survive. A couple of litres of water per alpaca per day is all they need. In comparison to sheep and goats alpacas eat much less too. They will only consume grass/hay approximately which is 1.5% of their body weight each day. By comparison sheep and goats consume approximately 2.5% of their body weight per day It is no surprise as to why the alpacas more environmentally friendly than all other fibre producing animals. Our solution to serious environmental problems we face is our own specialist yarn EKOALPAKA a direct result of a regenerative sustainable farming solution on our farm on Exmoor right here in Europe.