In the 1970s, there were only about 5,000 vicuñas in the Andes. It was then that the Inca Group and KUNA —together with the Peruvian Government, Andean communities and foreign companies— drew up a protection and conservation program for this species; and so, we are proud to be an essential part in the rescue of the vicuña. The result was very successful, its production is 100 percent sustainable and works in harmony with the environment.
Because each KUNA vicuña garment is certified by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation of Peru, it is now possible to wear the unique elegance of vicuña fiber with the certainty that it was obtained legally and does not harm this wonderful camelid.
The shearing of the vicuña is done through an ancestral custom, the chaccu. Every two years, tradition and modern technology are combined to celebrate it: the vicuñas are surrounded with great care, they are held delicately and shearing each one only takes a minute.
One vicuña provides 170 grams of fiber, which at KUNA goes through a process that is carried out entirely in Peru, naturally and by hand, since machine selection would break the fiber and thus make it lose its fineness. This not only means that KUNA participates in every step of the production chain—from hand dehairing and fiber classification to the design and production of each textile piece—but also the strengthening of the work of more than 300 women from Andean communities.
And this fascination with vicuña, which leads to the discovery of specialized procedures and attention to detail that only expert craftsmen have, translates into exceptional, warm and light garments, with a natural shine and a unique color. KUNA is a pioneer in various weaving techniques and has incorporated jacquard designs, knitwear, fabrics, coats and special finishes, and is also at the forefront of creating new ranges of colors in this fiber.
Vicuña garments are not only luxury items, but also a cultural legacy, and, like those valuable jewels in a family, they are also inherited through the years and generations. Discover at KUNA why vicuña fiber is the Gold of the Andes.
