Carbon Footprint of Alpaca Wool

Alpaca wool is a soft, warm animal fiber sourced from alpacas, primarily raised in South America, and commonly used in sweaters, scarves, outerwear, and luxury apparel. The carbon footprint of alpaca wool averages approximately 80.6 kg CO₂e per kg, reflecting emissions from animal husbandry, land use, and fiber processing.

What’s are the CO2e emissions of Alpaca Wool

What’s are the CO2e emissions of Alpaca Wool?

The carbon footprint of alpaca wool ranges from 80.6 kg CO2e per kg (average) to 85.2 kg CO2e per kg (median), with CO2 emissions from alpaca wool primarily driven by methane from digestion and land use. Greenhouse gas emissions from alpaca wool also stem from feed production and processing energy requirements.
  • Average footprint per kg: 80.6 kgCO2e
  • Median footprint per kg: 85.2 kgCO2e

Emissions by Process Step in Alpaca Wool Production

The footprint of Alpaca Wool includes emissions from multiple processing stages. The following process steps were identified as carbon hotspots for Alpaca Wool production:
  • Raw Materials: 78.5%
  • Textile Formation: 11.5%
  • Coloration: 5.5%
Emissions by Process Step in Alpaca Wool Production

Alpaca Wool Water Consumption

The water footprint Alpaca Wool per kg averages 16.7 m3, reflecting moderate water usage Alpaca Wool production requires, making Alpaca Wool water consumption relatively efficient compared to conventional livestock fibers.
  • Average water use per kg: 16.7 m3
  • Median water use per kg: 17.7 m3

Alpaca Wool deep dive

Read our extensive analysis on the environmental footprint of Alpaca Wool

 Alpaca Wool Deep Dive

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References

Data sourced from Carbonfact’s proprietary database, powered by over 50 million LCAs run on textile, fashion, and footwear products. The methodology is aligned with the EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and adapted for product category specificity.

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