Alpaca facts

Since ancient times, the South American Andes Mountains have been the ancestral home to the prized alpaca. Their fleece was cherished by members of the Incan civilization (referred to as "The Fiber of the Gods"), and their graceful herds of alpaca roamed the lush foothills and mountainous pastures. In the 17th century, Spanish conquistadors killed a large part of both the Incan and alpaca populations, forcing the retreating survivors to seek refuge in the high mountain plains known as the Altiplano. The high altitude and harsh landscape ensured only the hardiest of these creatures survived, and these ancestors of today's best bloodlines have provided a gene pool producing hardy, agile animals with dense, high quality fiber.

The alpaca, whose scientific name is lama pacos, is the most numerous of the four South American camelid species (llamas, vicuñas, alpacas and guanacos). With a population of 4,5 million in Bolivia and Perú, representing 95% of the world's total, the alpaca provides the main means of sustenance for thousands of families in the high Andes.

Up at elevations of more than 4000m above sea level where daily temperature ranges can be as much as 30 Celsius degrees, thousands of rural families raise flocks of alpacas, as has been done for thousands of years, shearing the animals and selling their fiber every year, to provide those families with their principal income.

There are two varieties of the alpaca: the Huacaya and the Suri. The Huacaya is the more numerous type in this highlands, has relatively short fiber which is dense, curly and voluminous. The hair covers almost all the body, only the face and lower parts of the legs having a covering of short fibers. The Suri has long, straight hair which is silky and exceptionally lustrous.

Alpacas are shorn with knives or shears, usually once a year between November and April. The yield per animal is very variable, but a general average is about five pounds (2,3kg).

The color of the fiber is variable, up to 22 colors having been defined, Alpaca colors range from white to black through grays, fawns and browns. This characteristic is not to be found among other natural fibers, the 'noble' fibers, used in textile production.

The fiber is classified manually according to its fineness and sorted into qualities such as Royal Alpaca (less than 19 microns), Baby Alpaca (22,5 microns), Super Fine Alpaca (25,5 microns), Huarizo (29microns), Coarse (32 microns) and Mixed Pieces (short fibers generally coarser than 32 microns).

The names of these qualities do not necessarily reflect the age of the animals or other phenotypic characteristics. The appellation 'Baby', for example, is applied to products (tops, yarns, cloth, etc.) where the average fiber diameter is 22,5 microns. The fiber used to obtain this quality does not necessarily come from baby animals; it could easily come from an adult animal with a very fine coat.

Alpaca fibers are extraordinarily tough and strong, even in the finest qualities, it does not easily break, fray, stain or accumulate charges of static electricity and is easy to launder.

Some of the factors which affect the value of alpaca are:

Fineness: This is a genetic hereditary factor. The finer the fiber, the higher the price.

Color: White fiber commands a higher price from industrial concerns as it may be dyed to any color, including pastel shades. However, craftsmen give a greater value to fiber of certain natural colors.

Fiber length: The decision of whether to process the alpaca on the woolen system or the worsted system depends on the fiber length.

Production: The weight and degree of cleanliness of the fleeces are important.

Impurities in the fiber: Greater prices are commanded by cleaner fiber.

Nutritional considerations: Nutrition of the animal affects growth and fineness of the fiber.

THE TEXTILE PROPERTIES OF ALPACA:

Non-flammability: The fiber will not burn unless in direct contact with a flame.

Elasticity and strength: Alpaca fibers have relatively high elasticity and strength, comparable with those of sheep's wool and other animal fibers.

Hygroscopic properties: Absorption of ambient humidity is relatively low.

Thermal properties:The structure of the alpaca fiber makes it an efficient thermal insulator, useful in different climatic conditions.

Felting: Alpaca does not felt as readily as sheep's wool or other animal fibers.

Handle: The alpaca fiber has a structure which gives it a very soft handle, comparable with that of a grade of sheep's wool three or four microns finer.

Visual texture: Alpaca cloth exhibits an excellent drape, appearance, natural luster and handle; it maintains its new appearance for a very long time.