Alpacas and llamas are farmed globally for their fibre. Welfare standards vary widely, from high welfare small farms to large commercial operations with documented welfare failures.
Alpaca welfare is a genuinely complex area. Shearing is welfare-necessary — a heavily fleeced alpaca in summer is at serious risk of heat stress — but the manner of shearing is highly variable in welfare impact. In small, welfare-conscious farms, shearing is quick, calm, and minimally stressful. In large commercial operations where animals are forcibly restrained on the ground and sheared rapidly, it causes fear, pain from rough handling, and stress. The Responsible Alpaca Standard provides a framework but has limited enforcement mechanisms. Consumer and brand pressure on supply chains is currently the most effective lever for improvement.