Sustainable Fashion Market

Moluche (Hand made Alpaca textiles)

Alpaca in the textiles industry is more broadly known as a certain type of hair fibre from peruvian alpaca species, which is a form of llama. It’s mainly bred in South America. Even though llama’s are not bred as beasts of burden but are bread for their special fibre. Which now has modern day replacements fibres, such as mohair, icelandic sheep wool some high quality english wools.

Moluche has three main aspects of their company,

• Keeping tradition
• Eco friendly materials
• Contemporary designs.

I have chosen to look at Moluche textiles, because in the sustainable fashion market, I was interested in their work with southern american traditions, ways of combining the tribal traditions, combining their historical techniques through textiles as well as putting a modern day twist onto the designs. Also a more important factor to their company is how they are constantly thinking about the environmental issues of manufacturing.

Moluche uses south american textiles from Peru and Chilie made from small villages whose natural ethics and traditions are to produce hand woven textiles. They have incorporated two different tribes Aymara and Quechua. Alpaca wool goes through a very long process to create yarns which have subtle irregularities in them which is one of there key characteristics to the woven pieces. The yarn is then washed and dyed using vegetable dyes, Even though the natural alpaca fibre comed in 52 or more classified colours in peru. The vegetables dyes used are from locally grown herbs. They are left to dry in the sun, then stretched and interlaced into the looms, where they are then woven into the designed fabrics.

I am looking into naturally dying fabrics, how they incorporate it into the process of creating their garments and how eco friendly it actually is. Whether it is actually as good as chemical dying and whether its really going to take off in the commercial market.

“The textile industry continues to be one of the most damaging industries in the world, second only to the chemical industry”