High in the Peruvian Andes, above 3,500 metres where little else can thrive, alpacas have been producing some of the world's finest fibre for thousands of years. Their wool — technically called fibre, since alpacas aren't sheep — has a reputation for exceptional softness, warmth, and durability. But does that reputation extend to sustainability? The short answer is yes, with some caveats worth understanding. Alpaca wool scores 87 out of 100 on the Fashion Sustainability Index

Cashmere has long been synonymous with understated luxury—that impossibly soft fibre that feels like a warm embrace on a cold morning. But behind that softness lies a troubling environmental story. Virgin cashmere production has contributed to the degradation of roughly 70 percent of Mongolia's grasslands, with overgrazing by cashmere goats turning once-thriving ecosystems into near-desert. For years, conscious consumers faced an uncomfortable choice: indulge in cashmere's wa