Alpacas and Dryer Balls and EcoGeek—Oh My!

How Green Llama Became Surprise Wool Traders. | By Kay Baker, CEO & Co-Founder | Reviewed by Matt Keasey, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer

Hi all! We’re Kay and Matt with Green Llama, and we’re beyond thrilled to be partnering with Good Store! Their mission is unbeatable. Seriously, who gives all profits away to good causes like they do? We knew right away this was a partnership we wanted to be part of. So, when they asked about carrying our alpaca dryer balls, we jumped at the chance. But there was one little hiccup.

“We can make them,” said our amazing fiber artisan, “but I’m out of fleece!”

And just like that, we added a new job title to our résumés: Alpaca and Llama Wool Traders.

The Great Wool Chase

We started calling farms near our headquarters in Johnson City, TN. A few kind souls pointed us toward some extra fleece, and one truck rental later, Matt was off on a mission. First, he drove halfway to Maryland to meet the lovely folks at Black Barn Alpacas, then made the rounds to Walnut Ridge Llamas and Ebfort Alpaca Farm right here in East Tennessee.

Next, we loaded up the fleece and hit the road. We made one last stop on the way to the drop-off at Long Suri Alpacas. Add in a bundle from Mesa Trails Alpacas, and voilà, we had plenty of fleece for a fresh batch of super-soft, planet-friendly dryer balls!

(Of course, we had to take time to pet the alpacas and llamas along the way.)

Why We Do It

These kinds of adventures remind us why we do what we do. It’s not just about selling sustainable products, it’s about community, creativity, and doing good (with a few llama snuggles along the way).

How do I use Wool Dryer Balls?

Great question. Simply throw them in with your clothes in the dryer! They replace the need for dryer sheets. If you like a little fragrance, add a few drops of essential oil directly on the dryer ball, and your clothes will smell fresh and amazing. Your clothes come out soft, static-free, and naturally fresh with no plastic, no toxins, or waste. Every dryer ball replaces up to 1,000 disposable dryer sheets!