Few people know the truth about the most expensive wool in the world, even money can’t buy it
Deep in the Peruvian Andes, there is an animal that is treasured and preserved worldwide. The Vicuña – of the Llamas lineage is the smallest, slimmest and most graceful of the entire camel family. This precious animal has tawny or orange-brown fur, dotted with white on the neck and chest.
If you wonder why these animals are so precious, the reason is their fur. Vicuña wool is harvested from the fur of the most precious animal ever on the brink of extinction and is the most expensive wool in the world.
The Andes are famous for their harshness, poor nutrition, and fluctuating temperatures, which can be warm during the day, but bitterly cold at night. Vicuña’s existence here is considered a miracle and this can be partly explained by the precious fur they possess.
Vicuña possesses precious fur.
During centuries of rule by the Inca empire, this rare breed roamed the countryside of South America and was fished exclusively by royalty. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Vicuña camels are taken into pre-set traps and sheared.
This process takes place as a ritual called Chaccu. This ritual occurs only once every four years. Once they are trimmed, the Vicuña will be released and no one is allowed to kill them.
However, when the Spanish colonists appeared in South America, they broke the good and noble traditions of the people here. Because, they are “blind” to the profit and rarity of the Vicuña camel.
Vicuña’s preciousness has pushed this animal on the brink of extinction. In 1976, the Vicuña was placed on the endangered species list with 6,000 extant. The Peruvian government had to step in and put in place some of the most rigorous conservation programs in the world.
Vicuña wool – “God’s silk thread” in the modern world
Vicuña’s feathers are more precious than ever. The government is encouraging poor households who can improve their lives from keeping Vicuña camels. This policy will also encourage the public in protecting the dwindling Vicuña population.
Currently, there are about 200,000 Vicuñas in Peru. Chaccu rituals continue to be performed in rural communities. These locations are still open to tourists.
Vicuña’s feathers are precious.
Many people still wonder why a cloth made from Vicuña’s fur is so precious? Not all of Vicuña’s fur can be turned into clothing products. If you want a cream-white fabric, you can only get hair from the back of the Vicuña’s neck and chest (since other areas are tawny).
Each year, an adult Vicuña camel yields only about 200g to 500g of hair. A kilo of Vicuña wool anywhere costs between $399 and $600.
It is not enough just to bring about aesthetic effect. Try a comparison between Cashmere wool, one of the famous wools from Cashmere goats that live in the Himalayas.
Cashmere wool is 10 times heavier than Vicuña wool. Not only that, Vicuña wool does not react with chemical dyes, so it retains its natural color, thereby creating uniqueness and enhancing the value of the item.
Source: Amusingplanet
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