Description
Presenters: Paul Valelly & Emma Taylor
Webinar – 7-9pm
18th February @ 19:00 – 21:00
Experienced alpaca breeders are well aware that alpacas have the potential to produce some of the world’s most exquisite fleeces. From the 1830s, when Sir Titus Salt created the large-scale alpaca processing mill in Bradford, to the current day, with alpaca garments gracing the catwalks in Milan and Paris, alpaca has been featured as a luxury fibre.
The ability to supply alpaca fibre suitable for commercial end-use, however, has become elusive for many breeders, given that the criteria are quite specific and often require considerable experience, as the pitfalls are many.
The presenters, Paul Vallely & Emma Taylor, have had considerable collective experience with alpaca fibre.
Paul has experience in supplying fibre for commercial products over the past 40 years. He has owned a large-scale ultrafine merino operation in Australia, established a supply chain for Italian fashion house, Loro Piana, created the Premium Alpaca fleece collection scheme that secured record-breaking contracts with Armani and Zegna, as well as owning a global fibre testing service.
Emma co-owns East Anglia Alpaca Mill, which specialises in processing alpaca fleece into high-quality yarn and textiles. The mill plays an essential role in the national alpaca farming industry, being the only dedicated alpaca processing option & providing owners & breeders the opportunity to transform their raw fleece into commercial products. The mill also serves customers internationally who recognise the expertise that Emma & Chris possess together with the passion for top class service & products.