What sells in an alpaca farm shop in the Netherlands and Belgium

Visitors come to alpaca farms in the Netherlands and Belgium for walks, cuddle sessions, children's parties and high teas in the barn. By the time they reach the shop they have touched the fleece, and a souvenir in real alpaca fur feels like the animal they just met.

Every alpaca is made by hand in our workshop in Lima, from real alpaca fur in natural colours, Ivory White through to Cacao. Pick the shades that match your own herd and the alpaca on the shelf looks like the one in the field.

The Mini, 15 cm: the one children pick

$10.90 at the entry tier, the size children buy with their own money. Stock it in five or six shades so children can pick their favourite colour. The Mini alpaca.

The Small, 23 cm: the gift

$15.90 at the entry tier. The size most bought as a present. Three shades are plenty to start with.

The Large, 48 cm: the one people photograph

$37.90 at the entry tier. One or two on the counter draw visitors to the shelf. For a farm with room to show it, the life-size alpaca of 120 cm is $180.00. The large alpaca.

At the till: keychains

A mini alpaca on a key ring, and pom poms in real alpaca fur. The smallest thing the workshop makes, sold as an add-on at the till. Alpaca fur keychains.

For the farm with a home corner

Alpaca fur rugs of 100 by 65 cm, in eight of the Naturals shades, and teddy bears in real alpaca fur. They count toward the same $500 as everything else. Alpaca fur rugs.

An example of how the shop of an average alpaca farm thinks it through. Take De Krullenbol: twelve alpacas on the Veluwe, walks on Saturdays, children's parties in the barn, and a small shop by the gate. Sanne, who runs it, has a list before she orders anything. This is her list, and what we answer.

“Something people can only buy here.”

From 500 alpacas the hangtag carries the name De Krullenbol instead of ours. Her first order stays below that, so she starts with the shades of her own herd: Ivory White, Sahara, Hazelnut, Walnut and Cacao.

“A reason to come back.”

The Limited Edition alpacas are made in small batches, and no two are quite alike. A few on the shelf give regular visitors something new to see.

“Something for pocket money, and something for the grandparents.”

The 15 cm Mini for the children, the 23 cm Small as a present, and a 48 cm Large for the grandparents. At the till, keychains in real alpaca fur.

“It has to feel like our animals.”

Real alpaca fur, made by hand in Lima, in natural colours. Her visitors have just touched the animals and feel the difference.

“Parents will ask if it is safe.”

All our alpacas are compliant and safe, tested at an independent laboratory against EN 71. The test report comes with the quotation, so she has the answer ready at the counter.

“And how do I clean it?”

Wipe it with a damp cloth, dry it flat, brush it when it is dry. The rest is in our guide to washing alpaca fur.

“Ready before the May holiday.”

Making takes 4 to 6 weeks at the entry tier, so she orders in February. And sometimes her list is already waiting: small numbers of some colours and sizes are already made and ready in Lima, and then a small order can ship almost straight away. The quotation tells her which.

Her first order: 25 Minis in the five shades of her herd, five Smalls in Hazelnut and five Larges in Walnut for the counter. $541.50, mixed in one order.

The minimum is $500 an order, mixed freely across every size and shade, with at least five of each colour. Forty alpacas cover a shelf:

The price per alpaca drops at 100 alpacas and again at 500. Build your own mix in the order form and the quotation comes back within 24 hours, with the ready date. Ordering and terms.

From 500 alpacas in one order, the hangtag carries your farm's name instead of ours, for $0.20 an alpaca on top, plus the cost of printwork. Visitors can then buy it only at your farm. Below 500, every alpaca carries our Munay hangtag. Private label.

Making takes 4 to 6 weeks at the entry tier and 6 to 8 weeks from 100 alpacas. Most farm visits fall between spring and the end of the summer holidays, so order in the first months of the year to have a full shelf when the visitors come. For December, when the alpaca becomes a Christmas present, order by the end of September.

All our alpacas are compliant and safe, tested at an independent laboratory against EN 71, the European toy safety standard. Anything your shop needs on top of that, we arrange together during your order. Safety.