{"product_id":"vicuna-by-illimani","title":"VICUÑA by Illimani","description":"\u003c!--Start tab labels--\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"tabs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca class=\"active\" href=\"#tab1\"\u003eYarn Notes\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#tab2\"\u003eYarn Specs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#tab3\"\u003eThe Brand\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c!--Start tab content--\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"tabs-content\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"active\" id=\"tab1\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 128, 0);\"\u003eWe don't keep Vicuña in stock, but we're happy to order it in for you. Just get in touch.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eVicuña is the rarest, and most precious natural fibre in the world.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt comes from the wild vicuña, the smallest of the South American camelids, which lives high in the Andes. The fibre measures an astonishing \u003cstrong\u003e11–13.5 microns on average\u003c\/strong\u003e - finer than cashmere, incredibly light and exceptionally warm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd it is \u003cstrong\u003eVERY rare.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVicuñas were hunted almost to extinction for their extraordinarily valuable fleece. By the 1960s, wild populations had collapsed to just a few thousand animals and strict protections were introduced. Conservation programmes and carefully controlled fibre harvesting have since helped populations recover, but vicuña remains protected and trade in its fibre is tightly regulated.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe animals aren't farmed like sheep or alpacas. They live wild.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo collect the fibre, Andean communities use the traditional \u003cstrong\u003eChaccu\u003c\/strong\u003e - an ancient practice dating back to the Inca. Local communities work together to gently herd wild vicuñas into temporary enclosures, where the animals are briefly captured and carefully shorn by trained specialists before being released back into the mountains.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach animal produces only a tiny amount of usable fibre and can only be shorn infrequently. The Chaccu allows Andean communities to benefit economically from protecting the wild herds, while preserving a centuries-old cultural tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnd then comes the de-hairing.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRaw vicuña fleece contains coarse guard hairs and tiny impurities from life in the high Andes. Because the precious fine fibres are so short and delicate, preparing the fleece is incredibly painstaking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSkilled hands work through tiny quantities of raw fleece, carefully removing coarse guard hairs and impurities and separating the finest fibres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e• Guard hairs removed one by one BY HAND\u003cbr\u003e• The finest fibres carefully separated\u003cbr\u003e• Impurities removed without damaging the delicate fibre\u003cbr\u003e• Fleece sorted by fineness and natural colour\u003cbr\u003e• Hours of meticulous work to prepare just a few grams\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is slow. Painstaking. And requires extraordinarily skilled hands and eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe result is the finest fibre Illimani produces: \u003cstrong\u003e100% pure vicuña, spun into an extraordinarily light fingering-weight yarn.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is not an everyday yarn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt's rare, precious and genuinely exceptional.\u003c\/strong\u003e One of those fibres that you need to touch to properly understand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade in Bolivia. Illimani works with international aid organisations to support artisans in Peru and Bolivia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e(Many commercial yarns labelled simply as \"vicuna\" are actually spun from a paco-vicuña: a hybrid of a vicuña and an alpaca. Paco-vicuña lacks the microscopic 12-micron fineness of a pure wild vicuña, resulting in a coarser feel. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIllimani Vicuña is the real deal.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePrice is per 20g skein.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/www.illimaniyarn.com\/assets\/img\/Yarn-Icons\/feli-one.jpg\" alt=\"Illimani Yarn\" width=\"92\" height=\"92\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"tab2\"\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e100% Vicuña\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e112.5m (123yd)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e20g\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGauge:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003eLight Fingering\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFibre Fineness:\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e11-13.5 microns average\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"tab3\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col-md-8 col-sm-12\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe are so so proud to be the \u003cstrong\u003elargest UK stockist for Illimani Yarns.\u003c\/strong\u003e We know you'll LOVE their sumptuous yarns as much as we do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter many years in the fashion business importing ready-to-wear collections of alpaca and llama wool apparel handmade by artisans in Bolivia, Illimani decided it was time to focus on the yarn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy applying all their experience in knits and fine fibres, Illimani carefully select \u003cstrong\u003esome of the very best natural yarns in the world.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIllimani has worked with thousands of \u003cstrong\u003eartisans in Bolivia and Peru\u003c\/strong\u003e, many of whom have mastered the art of knitting and crochet. Their mission is to provide exceptional materials and inspiration, helping makers create their own artisanal textiles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0005\/2969\/4785\/files\/Vicuna_compact.jpg?v=1526413153\" alt=\"Vicuña\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIllimani works alongside international aid organisations to support artisans in the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes and help commercialise their products in North American markets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHelp the Bolivian artisans\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you would like to be involved with helping the artisans in Bolivia please contact:\u003cbr\u003e\u003csmall\u003e\u003cb\u003eIllimani Consulting\u003c\/b\u003e 1392 rue Victor Hugo, Montreal, QC H3C 5X4, Canada\u003cbr\u003eT. (514) 867 2166 F. (514) 934 4867 \u003ca href=\"mailto:info@illimaniconsulting.com??subject=Contact%20from%20Illimani%20website\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eemail\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"col-md-4 col-sm-12\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Illimani","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57960917991807,"sku":null,"price":220.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0005\/2969\/4785\/files\/images_1.jpg?v=1783952500","url":"https:\/\/www.tribeyarns.com\/products\/vicuna-by-illimani","provider":"tribeyarns","version":"1.0","type":"link"}