Wool Types: Alpaca

Base Hat by: Hubert

How to Wear & Care:

A Slow and Fair Fashion is highly important for OhmGnomes as we create and share treasures with the world. The gnomies of the Avedaño Mamani Family are more than just our producers, they’re part of our Tribe and as such we strive to foster them as they foster us. Once in an unfortunate spot where their raw alpaca fiber was making less than $3/kg, now, teamed together with OhmGnomes, are earning over 5x more money per hat than they would be selling the equivalent in wool raw and are enjoying the freedom to create! Beyond the label “Fair Trade” we believe in Happy & Transparent Trade where producer, middlegnome, and future buyer are all happy and fulfilled by their piece in the puzzle of connecting the world. We aim to pay well, connect people around the world, and embrace the magic of creativity and art all through the Original OhmGnomes Felt Hat!

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 Much like industrial agriculture has tranquilized the small farmer and rancher in the United States by reducing mainstream accepted prices of one’s product to a dismal value, the same has happened for the wool industry in Peru. Cheap foreign mixed Alpaca/polyester clothing has cut prices to 1/6th of what the wool value was 10 years ago and that has trickled down on a global scale to affect what the average buyer will pay for wool of any sort in general. “Colored” wool versus white wool has also experienced a devaluation to the point that colored Alpaca were almost driven out of existence in Peru because their fiber couldn’t earn the farmer enough to survive on. We, together, are not going to let this happen though! By supporting farm direct wool from our Cuzquenian Fibershed we are striving to do all we can to support bringing awareness, color, and money back into this hard pressed industry from the flock to Magic. Felt. 

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