Purely Alpaca Blog News, Updates, Specials, Sales, History and Humor

It's Artist Season!

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 19:07:00 +0000

At this time of year we typically request the fiber artists and other skilled crafters who use alpaca fiber consider listing their alpaca hats, scarves, shawls, artwork etc. on PurelyAlpaca.com.
We like to offer these items to add to our breadth of selection and also we like to support alpaca fiber artists. It's all about being "Purely Alpaca"!

Of particular need this year are alpaca baby booties and hair scrunchies.

If you know of anyone spread the word.....

Alpaca products keep coming!

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 19:03:00 +0000

This week a flood of new and interesting alpaca products are coming into our warehouse. New alpaca scarves, alpaca jackets and coats. Even a new alpaca Christmas sweater! It's great fun to see all the new items. The alpaca garment industry, though still in its infancy is alive and well!!

Still more new items going on the site in the next week!

-Brian

INSTANT new alpaca product feed

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 15:38:00 +0000

We were thinking....

Many of our customers are hitting the New Items link on PurelyAlpaca.com but unless they hit it daily they still might miss a new product. We literally have placed items online in our online boutique only to have them sold hours later. We're getting a lot of new items this year, many "on trial" as possible lines next year, so we'll have a lot of these unique offerings this fall. We have alpaca sweaters, alpaca scarves and new alpaca hats that are all limited run "test" items from artists in the USA and South America. There will be a lot of new alpaca products, alpaca yarn and gifts posted in the next couple of months.

So we figured a lot of our website visitors are missing out. Well this just won't do. :) So what we did was create a simple RSS Feed. This lets you use a freely available RSS reader to connect to PurelyAlpaca's RSS feed. This way, whenever we add or update a product you'll know about it, instantly.

We were thinking more...

This could be fun. We can put things up and see how long they last. If enough people use the RSS Feed perhaps we'll offer "instant sales", offering great bargains on items just for our most "attached" customers. Gee, what else could this lead to?....

To see more and sign up, go to http://purelyalpaca.com/rssfeed.html

Will you let us know your thoughts on the idea?

-Brian
PurelyAlpaca
1-877-PURELYA

Busy busy boom!

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:43:00 +0000

Have you been busy lately? We surely have been!

We're excited to announce that PurelyAlpaca is now located in Battle Ground, WA! The new headquarters is as of October 1, 2006. We have a new facility for our store office and warehouse as well as a new farm (we also raise alpacas) and of course a new house. Still moving in on all three areas... It's also the peak time of year for us as we are checking in a flood of exciting new alpaca products for the Fall season. Some of them we hope you will really like. We have new designer clothing, new and improved fashion accessories and of course new gift items for friends and family.

Things are still arriving so be sure to check back often in October and November as we load the items online. See the enclosed New Products link to see what has recently been added or updated.

Are you slightly technical? PurelyAlpaca can send your an RSS feed which will let you know when any new products are added. Some of our designer products are so unique and of such limited runs that they go up online 1 day and are gone the next. Don't miss any of them by subscribing to the PurelyAlpaca RSS feed. See the bottom of any page on http://purelyalpaca.com to get hooked up.

-Brian

Purely Alpaca Wholesale Alpaca Products

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 23:14:00 +0000

Now is the season to shop Purely Alpaca Wholesale. We have a new reduced minimum purchase and many new products. See the link for details. You may also want to signup for our wholesale newsletter.

We are very flexible so let us know if you need anything special.

New old source of alpaca products?

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 22:02:00 +0000

Last weekend we went camping and fishing. It was a nice relaxing trip out to Southwest Washington state (not too far from where we're moving out new farm and warehouse). It was also my birthday. Lots of time to sit and think about our fall line of products, features and new offerings.

On the way home Frieda and I drove past a Sweater Store out in what most city folk would call "the middle of nowhere". This time they were open so in we went. Had to see if they had any alpaca!

Anni, a kind and relaxed woman warmly greeted us at the door. Though one customer was leaving with many smiles, Anni was still not alone. With her in this old Masons building turned clothing factory with tall white ceilings, a single heat stove and antique furniture was a mix of companions. There was a beautiful and sweet 3-legged white cat with one warm light green eye and another striking blue eye, another cat who was too busy sleeping to greet us and a mess of big and little dogs who stayed in the back room, mostly.

The store was an amazing trip back into time. A time where American merchants made and sold locally to local clientele. It was filled with clothing made "upstairs", we were told. We looked about the room for an hour. Though alpaca was not currently used in any of the products, my filtering eye saw Alpaca Sweaters, Alpaca Scarves, Alpaca Hats, Alpaca Gloves and Alpaca Shawls. The styles were classic and very well made. The artistic buttons on the cardigans are made right there at the shop.

Anni described how the company, 30 years old and in this location for the past 17 caters to a local clientelle but also sells to past customers who could now live anywhere. They get in yarn by the tons and do all the work in that one building.

Frieda and I were amazed! We have been seeking the country for companies like this. Many think the American garment industry is gone. Not true. It's just taking a new, more personal form. Anni's store, with its excellent personal service and very reasonable prices is the new American garment industry. We were very happy to see it.

-Brian

PurelyAlpaca News, Updates, Specials, Sales, History and Humor

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 23:09:11 +0000

PurelyAlpaca News, Updates, Specials, Sales, History and Humor

Picky reviewers sought for annual pre-fall cleaning game

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 21:01:00 +0000

Hlep! It's a mess around here!

It's pre-fall cleaning game time at PurelyAlpaca.com!

Each year we ask YOU, the most detailed, picky, precise, critical,
finicky, fussy, discriminating, particular, selective, anal,
careful, choosy, discerning, judicious, prudent, selective, tasteful
and wisest of individuals....

...to help us clean up and troubleshoot www.PurelyAlpaca.com!

In exchange we send nice alpaca theme items as a grateful 'thank
you'.

HOW TO PLAY

* Go to www.PurelyAlpaca.com

* Look over anything and everything on the site

* Find errors, typos, missing pages, broken this-or-that, things you
don't like, poor descriptions, missing details, unhelpful photos,
items you know should be better, etc. Anything which makes the site
less shopper friendly. We'd love to hear your creative ideas!

* Report the items or your ideas on how things can be better

Our goal is of course to have the best working store possible so we
are grateful for your discerning eye!

IN EXCHANGE

Find 5 items and we will send you a cute alpaca gift,
10+ items receives a larger one. If you decide to actually shop
(we're not going to stop you!) we'll include the largest gift item
with your order. Don't forget to include a mailing address.

That's it. We hope you play. We know we'll both win!

Our housecleaning game is good through October 31st, 2006.

Thank you for your help!

-Brian
Store Manager
www.PurelyAlpaca.com
1-877-PURELYA

PurelyAlpaca
PO BOX 1104
Vashon, WA 98070

Bloggin, not

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:27:00 +0000

Hmmmm! There's so much going on at PurelyAlpaca I don't know where to start! Have been too busy to blog much lately. Exciting things happening though...

The BIG news is we're about to move to our new alpaca products warehouse and farm (we raise alpacas too). The move will be Sept 1st and we are very excited about it. We will move to Battle Ground, WA, about 20 miles north of Portland, OR. Our new facility will be able to house much more product and allow us to offer a wider collection of products in this rapidly changing and growing industry.

Next, PurelyAlpaca is expanding its product selections significantly this year with many new fashions and some great finds like Zip sweaters, new scarves, outstanding throws and blankets, funky purses, new hats and many other items in this year's favorite colors and styles.

Oh, and yarn! We have many new alpaca yarns coming!

New Yarn

We will have more of our popular Classic Alpaca as well as new Joya and Paca de Seda yarn as well as others. At the high end, see our hand-spun/hand-dyed custom artist crafted yarn.

To keep abreast of all new items sign up for our free newsletter. Cancel easily at any time. Also, check the site New Items link at any time to see our newest items as they become available.

Regards,
-Brian

Alpaca Wholesale, the EASY Way

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 17:15:00 +0000

With the Purely Alpaca Party Kit you, the hostess provides a selection of quality top selling items. A Purely Alpaca Party Kit is a fun way to demonstrate the beauty and comfort of alpaca fiber products while also promoting the value of the animals!

Have fun throwing parties at home, work or anywhere. Educate others on these wonderful animals and the products produced from their exquisite fiber! It can become a significant earnings source for you.

See more information on the PurelyAlpaca Party Kit and PurelyAlpaca Trunk Kit at www.purelyalpaca.com

-PurelyAlpaca

Attend our VIRTUAL FASHION SHOW!

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 17:10:00 +0000

Get to see the latest alpaca fashions and help us choose the best ones to carry this Fall. As a thank you, each month we draw one name and send a free $25 PurelyAlpaca Gift Certicate, good for anything in our store. Take the photo survey at the link shown.

-PurelyAlpaca

Fix that damaged sweater

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Sun, 05 Mar 2006 14:45:00 +0000

People really love their alpaca garments!
Some are heartbroken if their long loved sweater, shawl or wrap is damaged by accident, bad luck or a silly misstep. We have heard many stories of years old charished alpaca garments that somehow got a hole, snag or tear.

Though we are in the business to sell new quality alpaca items, we wanted to help our customers restore damaged alpaca garments so that they truly can be theirs for a lifetime. Alpaca is a STRONG fiber and properly cared for can last an amazingly long time. Just ask the museum curators in Peru who have alpaca garments dating back thousands of years!

To keep your alpaca garments in top shape we are happy to offer our new "Purely Restored" alpaca product repair service! Have your item fixed by skilled artisans but at very reasonable prices. Repairs start at only $20. See the link on our website for more information on this service then go find that damaged sweater and give us a call.

-PurelyAlpaca

Sell your Alpaca Art on PurelyAlpaca

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Sat, 08 Oct 2005 19:37:00 +0000

Sell your art on PurelyAlpaca

PurelyAlpaca supports the alpaca garment industry through education, sales and sponsorship. We welcome original designs from fiber and craft artists which use or promote alpaca fiber. We also accept alpaca theme gifts.

Types of items we have accepted for sale in the past include:

Baby blankets
Children's sweaters
Children's hats, gloves and mittens
Children's socks
Adult hats and scarves
Toys
Original artwork in an alpaca theme

Guidelines:

Clothing products are new
The artist will provide an attractive image and description of the item
A writeup about you and your work or a URL link to a web page with same to cover questions such as (for a fiber item):
How did you get started in working with fiber? How long ago or age?
How did you learn to work with fiber/yarn?
Do you own alpacas?
What attracted you to working with alpaca?
What has been your experience with alpaca?
What types of fiber art items have you created?
What do you hope to create in the future?
Products are sold on a consignment basis
A commission is charged for listing products once they are sold
In most cases the artist will be responsible for shipping the product directly and timely
In certain cases we will stock your items and ship directly for you
This service is somewhat similar to Ebay, but focuses on alpaca art and craft
Each item is individually assessed as to its appropriate content for this site
Feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions.

affiliates@purelyalpaca.com
PurelyAlpaca.com
1-877-PurelyA

ALPACA Project Helps Peruvian Alpacas and Aymara Indians

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Sat, 08 Oct 2005 19:27:00 +0000

PurelyAlpaca is proud to support the ALPACA Project in the highlands of Southern Peru.

The Aymara people are Peruvian Indians who live, with their alpacas, in some of the harshest land in the world.

The "CHULLO" or Peruvian hat is a state of the art item which made of Baby alpaca fiber. It is hand spun and knitted for many days. The stitch and designs are unique to this region of the world. The "Chullos" are a result of the ALPACA Project, which is sponsored by Christian Veterinary Mission (CVM), a division of the Seattle based relief and Development agency, World Concern.

Established in March 1996, the ALPACA Project recognizes that people - especially women - in rural Peruvian villages often need training in animal and land management skills, and in developing markets for their products. ALPACA Project steps in - by providing mobile training teams to assist in these crucial areas, with the goal of each community becoming more self-sufficient. The result has been handmade high quality alpaca Chullos from the top of the world.

Among the most important of the ALPACA Project’s main goals have been:

To obtain better-quality healthier alpacas through selective breeding within foundation herds.
To provide improved health care to the approximately 500 participating rural farmer families, and for their alpacas.
To develop a marketing system that ensures fair prices are attained for high-quality livestock, these Chullos and other farm commodities.

When all is said and done, approximately 900 families benefit from the ALPACA Project, either directly or indirectly, including some 1,800 adults and 3,300 children.

A portion of the sales of these "Chullos" go directly to the Aymara communities of Peru.

For further information about ALPACA Project please contact:

Christian Veterinary Mission
Dr. Brad Frye
(206) 546-7569 or
wbf.seattle.crista@crista.org
World Concern
19303 Fremont Ave. N
Seattle,WA 98133-0016
wconcern@crista.org
www.worldconcern.org

Alpaca Industry Makes Headlines in North America

blogger@purelyalpaca.com (Brian Schieber) — Sat, 08 Oct 2005 19:23:00 +0000

Since its introduction to the United States over twenty years ago, the alpaca industry has grown in popularity with farmers and retailers all over North America. Consumer demand is growing stronger each year, and this will leave an open door for new breeders and retailers nationwide.

(PRWEB) October 5, 2005 -- Since its introduction to the United States over twenty years ago, the alpaca industry has grown in popularity with farmers and retailers all over North America. Although alpacas originated in South America and are still found predominantly in that region, more and more alpaca farms are being developed around the world for two major reasons.

1. Alpacas are great animals with amiable personalities.
2. Alpaca fleece is used to produce natural, comfortable apparel.

In the year 2000, the United States was labeled the major market for alpaca clothing, textiles and accessories, with alpaca imports from Peru alone at an estimated USD $6.7 million. Today, another trend appears on the horizon. More and more breeding farms are developing in both the United States and Canada, and it is believed that new alpaca textile manufacturers are not far behind. Even the number of hand knitters who may have an interest in alpaca fabrics has increased to an estimated 28 million.

A multi-million dollar alpaca industry is projected in the United States as the public becomes aware of the benefits of alpaca fabrics. Nationwide marketing campaigns such as "I Love Alpacas" are revealing alpaca facts and benefits to consumers on a continual basis and providing easy access to learn more about alpaca farms.

A notable thirty percent increase was reported in the United States alpaca industry during 2004. PurelyAlpaca.com, a Washington retailer, attests to a 100 percent growth rate during the company's first three years, and its sales are expected to double again this year. Alpaca breeding is also on the rise in the United States, with an estimated 61,000 registered alpacas as of 2004.

The gentle nature of alpacas and the untold number of benefits from its fleece appeal to alpaca farmers like Frieda and Brian Schieber, founders of PurelyAlpaca.com.

"We feel alpaca fiber is a magical thing. Soft, warm, strong, naturally colorful and all so very healthy and natural", says Frieda.

Alpacas are tender animals akin to the llama family but with thick, soft fleece. Their fleece produces a smooth fiber that's hypo allergenic, washable and durable. Alpaca fleece is used to create luxurious sweaters, scarves, winter caps, and hundreds of other clothing products and accessories. Consumers love the comfort and natural of dyed colors of alpaca clothing.

Although alpaca breeding and retail imports currently dominate the United States market, the manufacturing aspect of the industry is expected to turn gradually more domestic as new breeding farms and alpaca fiber processing mills develop. Consumer demand is growing stronger each year, and this will leave an open door for new breeders and retailers nationwide.

PurelyAlpaca offers unique, incredibly beautiful alpaca clothing, accessories and gifts. From alpaca socks and yarn to alpaca sweaters and coats, PurelyAlpaca.com carries a wide and interesting selection of items. Contact PurelyAlpaca at e-mail protected from spam bots, 877-PurelyA or visit the company’s Web site at: www.purelyalpaca.com

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