Alpacas are increasingly farmed globally for their prized fibre, with welfare standards varying enormously between high-welfare smallholdings and intensive operations where shearing stress and health management are inadequate.
Alpaca welfare sits at the intersection of a growing luxury fibre market and inadequate welfare standards in both South American production and expanding Western farming. The shearing process, which is necessary but potentially distressing, has been documented as a significant welfare concern in large-scale operations. Social needs, health management, and shearing quality are all areas where welfare standards vary enormously. Consumer interest in responsibly sourced alpaca fibre is a meaningful pressure point, but certification schemes need further development to provide reliable welfare assurance. The shift toward sustainable fashion provides an opportunity to embed welfare standards in alpaca fibre supply chains before the market scales further.