Introducing Alpaca Wool Dryer Balls
We’re so thrilled to announce our newest product to our sustainable laundry line, the Alpaca Wool Dryer Balls! These dryer balls are handmade from local alpaca wool right here in California, and are the perfect addition to laundry day that will help reduce energy usage while prolonging the lifespan of your clothing. As a plus, alpaca wool is naturally free of lanolin, making it hypoallergenic and perfect for those with sheep’s wool sensitivities.
We’re always looking for ways to lower our carbon footprint while supporting other local, sustainably minded businesses, which is how we found these dryer balls from Macedo’s Mini Acres! They are a small, family-run farm located in California’s central valley, and absolutely love everything about alpacas. As active members of the alpaca and local communities for over 16 years, they work alongside local schools and youth organizations to help educate about livestock, fiber, and farming, and even provide much needed manure and compost to their local community garden! Additionally, they are certified judges for the Alpaca Llama Show Association (ALSA) and Alpaca Owners Association (AOA), and offer tours and fiber arts classes on the farm.
Not only do they love alpacas, but Macedo’s is also big on lowering their environmental impact as well. They are a Climate Beneficial™ verified farm from the Northern California Fibershed Organization. This verification means that they work with the organization to implement land management practices to rebuild environmental systems from the soil up, using carbon farming practices to enhance the drawdown of carbon from the atmosphere into the ground. Not only do these practices help with sequestering excess carbon, it helps improve the water-holding capacity of soil, restore the soil’s microbiome, and enhance biodiversity by providing new and revitalized habitats for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Simply put, they’re recycling underutilized, readily available nutrients back into the soil where it’s needed most!
We had the pleasure of being able to visit the farm (and alpacas) in person this past March, and got to see the farming practices and ranch first hand. We visited Macedo’s only a few days after the herd was sheared of their winter coats, which is why they look so trim and slim! All the wool was safely sheared by a professional team, then gathered up, gently washed, and hand felted into individual dryer balls. Additionally wool is used for fabric batting, hand spun into yarn, and even made into rugs! During the day, all their alpacas (and a few llamas too) are able to roam freely around the 15 acre farm, grazing on the grass and trees, and spend their time lounging in the sun or shade to their heart’s content!
For more about Macedo’s Mini Acres, visit their website and social media pages, where you’re sure to get an adorable array of alpaca content!
For more about shearing practices, here’s a great informational video from The Livestock Conservancy about the importance of safe shearing, slow fashion, and community impact.
