The natural habitat of alpacas is about 3.800 metres above sea level. At this altitude, the water supplyis natural and the land is generally not suitable for agriculture. This makes alpacas more environmentally friendly than all other fibre-producing livestock that often contribute significantly to serious environmental problems.

Vegetable fibres also represent a problem for the environment.
For example, in Australia, 2.830 litres of water are needed to produce 1 kg of cotton.