29 Jun 2021
Just over two months ago we invited you to join us on our traceability journey providing transparency into the story of our luxury textiles. By following the journey of our cria, Araminta the Alpaca, we are showing you exactly what goes into making our beautiful pieces.
Araminta was the first of 15 safely delivered cria this Spring, with a further eight still to arrive. On average, the gestation period for an alpaca is just under eleven and a half months, however, it is not unusual for the birth to be three weeks on either side of the estimated due date ensuring our breeders are kept on their toes for a couple of months!
Ordinarily giving birth during the day and when the weather is good, alpacas have evolved to do this with good reason – in the Andes, a wet newborn may get too cold to survive the night or, if not mobile, could be taken by a predator.
Looking back over the past month Araminta has gained over 10kg in weight and no longer needs a protective coat to protect against any chilly breezes. Her days have been spent with her mum, Perdy, in the lush green fields playing with the rest of the herd. For her first few weeks, and when the weather was unseasonably cold and wet, the pregnant females and mums with young cria were settling down in the barn for the night, providing a safe, secure, place for the alpacas to sleep. With over 30 acres of land to roam in, our alpacas are very much free to have fun with one another. Whilst the males are kept separately from the females, they both have acres of land to roam in. Our breeders care immensely for the welfare of their alpaca and now Araminta and the older cria spend all their time out in the open fields with their mums, just coming in for extra feed in the morning and evening.
Having seen her mum being shorn for the first time in May, Araminta still has her cria fleece and will have her first main shearing next spring as the weather gets warmer. Shearing is incredibly important for alpaca as it not only prevents overheating of the animal but also prevents the matting of fleece causing painful skin conditions. She will also be ‘cria sheared’ in July – this shearing takes of the tips off her fleece.
During the cria shearing process, both her head and tail fleece will be left longer as alpacas recognise their offspring by smell so this will help Perdy, her mum, to recognise Araminta, even she looks different.
From day one Araminta has been incredibly inquisitive! Well socialised, she is an incredibly confident young alpaca who is happy to roam in the herd rather than staying by mum’s side! That being said, you do notice mum Perdy watching carefully, to make sure she is not getting into too much trouble or any danger.
Over the next few months, Araminta will enjoy her time in the herd before being weaned by around 6 months of age.
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We are guardians of people’s stories...
We ourselves are stories that weave and take shape through the thread, thanks to the gentle hands of the weavers.
The yarn, the loom, our and your stories, are the tools we have chosen to make what cannot be seen or touched, real and wearable. We give shape to the values in which we believe, we give voice to stories to be shared with those dearest to us, forever.
Not just exquisite works of art to wear, but ambassadors, ‘talking’ objects, timeless storytellers of meanings and values that we want to preserve and pass on.
Meet Isabelle, one of our talented handweavers!
Isabelle has long had an interest in textiles, ever since her grandmother taught her to sew.
She discovered weaving when visiting universities before applying to study. Immediately captivated by the woven textile displays at Loughborough University – the home of our George Wood looms – She became fascinated by how these complex woven structures could be created from just a few cones of yarn.
Isabelle enjoys the slow, hands-on process of weaving, appreciating how it demands your full and present focus, and is always excited to share the complexities of handweaving to our visitors.
Meet Helen, one of our talented handweavers!
As an advocate for sustainability and ethical production, handweaving appealed to Helen as the embodiment of slow, responsible craft.
She fell in love with the challenging yet meditative weave process during her textile degree at the Glasgow School of Art.
Helen adores that she can name the alpacas in the pieces that she weaves, as this level of provenance imbues the pieces with deeper meaning for both weaver and future owner.
We choose 100% undyed British alpaca fiber for our designs because it embodies the values we hold dear: sustainability, durability, and unparalleled luxury. Each fleece is sourced from carefully chosen UK farms where animal welfare is a top priority.
Our close relationships with breeders enable us to trace many of our yarns back to the individual alpacas, ensuring exceptional quality and transparency. The alpaca’s fleeces are left undyed, allowing the natural richness and unique tones of their coats to shine through in every piece.
In the UK, only 5–10% of alpacas produce fleece of the exceptional quality we require. Every fiber is meticulously selected for its fineness, crimp, luster, and colour, ensuring our pieces meet the highest standards of luxury and craftsmanship.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
It can take our handweavers anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks to complete one of our Signature pieces.
Each piece in our Heritage handwoven collection has been inspired by Araminta’s deep love for the natural beauty of the Scottish landscape.
From the golden glow of the beech woodlands surrounding her family home in the Royal Deeside Corridor during autumn, to the ethereal light of the Scottish Highlands at dawn and dusk, the landscape is a constant source of inspiration for Araminta. The shifting interplay of colours, textures, and natural rhythms informs each handwoven piece, translating fleeting moments into timeless design.
Any moment in time could become Araminta’s next creation.
Meet Lisa, one of our talented handweavers!
Lisa studied weaving at Heriot Watt University, in the borders of Scotland – an area renowned for its textile production.
She always enjoyed creating things and was recommended to study textiles by her art teacher. When first starting out in her weave degree, she found the slow process of setting up challenging, yet today it’s her favourite part.
She finds peace whilst threading the loom, enjoying and embracing the flow.
Each piece has been lovingly handwoven and finished in our Edinburgh Atelier by our team of handweavers on vintage George Wood looms.
Araminta Campbell is one of the largest employers of handweavers in Scotland, fostering employment for talented craftspeople in Scotland plays a vital role in preserving the rich legacy of Scottish textile craftsmanship. Every thread woven in the Atelier carries with it the heritage and passion of centuries-old traditions, brought vividly to life through contemporary designs, and the work of our talented weavers.
It has taken years for our weavers to attain the skill and knowledge required to create our handwoven items.
Handweaving takes precision and patience, with each warp prepared by hand and meticulously threaded through the shafts of the loom. Once weaving is complete there is a lengthy finishing process involving darning, stitching, washing and brushing – all by hand.
When you choose one of our handwoven treasures, you’re not just owning a piece of Scotland’s rich textile heritage – you’re connecting with the hands that brought it to life.
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