The Yarn Tree | Yarns | Frog Tree - 100% Alpaca, Sport Weight

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100% Alpaca Wool, Sport Weight (Frog Tree)
Frog Tree Alpaca Yarn is produced by a non-profit cooperative in Bolivia for T & C Imports. The owners of T & C Imports have been working with this group for over six years. At the cooperative they start with the raw alpaca fibers and go through the entire process of sorting the fibers according to color, cleaning, spinning and dyeing the yarn. Purchases made by T & C Imports provide support to this cooperative, and allows the cooperative to provide work to a number of women to supplement their household income. Approximately 800 to 1200 women have been trained to produce beautiful hand knit sweaters from this yarn.

These women live in dirt villages that are anywhere from 3 to 60 miles from the cooperative center. For many travel to and from the center can take a full day in one direction. Here they will deliver the finished sweater and pick up materials for the next. At the center there is a small dormitory, with showers and cooking facilities. The women can refresh themselves before they start their journey home. The women are paid fairly for their work. They can only knit in their spare time as much of their day is taken up with procuring food and preparing meals for the family, so it is difficult to determine how long it may take to complete a sweater.

T & C Imports operates as a not-for-profit and the owners do not take any salaries for their work. Any excess funds generated by T & C Imports are used to provide educational assistance to people who otherwise might not be able to afford an education. The Mission Statement "To supply meaningful and continuous work to various artisans and other non-profit groups. To use the funds from the sale of their products to support their families and worthy educational causes."

$6.20/ea