Amano work with the natural fibres of Peru – alpaca from the high Andes, fine merino, linen, and Pima cotton from the coastal valleys – and spin them there too.
Pima is only about 3% of the world's cotton. It grows in the valleys of Piura and Chira, where it has been cultivated for more than five thousand years, and it's still picked by hand, which keeps the fibre free of impurities and keeps people in the valleys in work.
Amano's three stated values are sustainably sourced natural fibres, generosity for fair exchange, and respect for nature. A number of their yarns carry certification – some to the Responsible Alpaca Standard, some to the Global Organic Textile Standard – and they name which ones, yarn by yarn, rather than claiming it across the whole range.
