Vicuna fiber has a high value in the textile and fashion industry and is seen on the runways of the most selective and luxurious clothing designers in Europe. However, the vicuna fiber process and commodity chain are little known. This thesis presents the commodity chain of vicuna fiber and the positive and negative impacts that vicuna fiber commercialization generates in Peruvian peasant communities. The research, based on in-depth interviews and document analysis, studies the development of this buyer-driven chain, the social actors' roles, and the policies and legislation implemented to preserve vicuna species. In response to consumption demands, the marketing departments of transnational core companies create added value with the final product. As a result, Peruvian peasants face different obstacles and benefits in order to sell their fiber within the formal and informal value chains; while they obtain a small profit compared to the manufacturing and retail links overseas.
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