ALPACA hair comes from
just one of the species of the South American Camalidea which differ
greatly in appearance from the Afro-Asian Camel or Dromedary.
However all are cud chewing animals which characteristically kick and
spit fetid saliva, or undigested food when irritated. All have
similar feet, well suited for walking on soft sand, moss or very fine
grasses.
The Alpaca lives in the
South American Andean region at altitudes as high as 5000 meters where
it needs a thick fleece or coat to keep out the cold. They are
domesticated animals and together with the LLAMA, have lived with man
from time immemorial, highly valued for their fibre and meat. The
ALPACA is a smaller version of the LLAMA and it is used mainly for food
and clothing, whilst the larger heavier LLAMA is also used as a pack
(load bearing) animal.
Huacayo
Alpaca
Alpaca's can be split into
two sub-breeds, the HUACAYO, which is the most numerous and represents
about 90% of all the existing animals and the SURI making up the other
10%.
The Huacayo is more like
the Llama in appearance, though slightly smaller with thick wavy hair
covering most of the body. In contrast the Suri has long silky lustrous
hair which is very compact and more highly valued.
Alpaca farms are of
various sizes. Generally, an Indian family will look after their
own herds, rebanos, according to primitive breeding methods, handed down
through the ages. Fertility is low and barely 50% though with
richer nourishment and a lot of care this can be increased to
75-77%. They have only one animal per birth and quite often the
new born perish if the weather in the mountains turns particularly cold
or wet, as is often the case.
The hair of these animals
can be very fine, as low as 17/19 microns on a newly born, though the
bulk when shorn tends to be 21/23 microns. Adolescents have a bulk
fleece of 24/28 micron whilst the older Adults tend to be coarser
running off from 31/35 micron. Fibre colour comes in a variety of 14
natural shades ranging from almost pure White through Cream, Beige,
Fawn, Brown, Chocolate, Steel Grey to the occasional pure Black. However, it is important to take note that
over 80% of all the animals today are White, Off White or Cream and some
of the darker colours such as Black represent a very, very small
percentage indeed.
The flesh of the ALPACA is
considered valuable and in ancient times it was
reserved like the VICUNA for the Inca imperial family.
Suri Alpaca 
LLAMA is a slightly
different and larger animal with hair that is rather coarse at 27/38
microns, except on the very young baby animals. Like the Camel it
tends carry a stronger outer hair, which is difficult to separate and
does not grow is so many rich, solid colours as that of the
Alpaca. The animal is much heavier and in the past this
constituted a very important means of transport throughout the Andean
chain of mountains in Peru and into Bolivia, where most of these animals
live. Bolivia has far more Llamas than Alpacas and approximately
60/80% of all Llamas are to be found here, with a number also in Chile
and Argentina. The animal is very versatile and used for carrying
goods, while the flesh is used for food, the hair for clothing and
blankets, the skin produces excellent leather and is used for making
everything from wineskins to shoes, whilst the excrement, in a dried
state is used as a foul smelling fuel for heating and cooking.
Both Alpaca and Llama hair
is widely used in the textile world, designers like it for the many
natural colours, which do not need to be dyed and for its soft warm
handle. Used in may ways from garments to blankets, it can be dyed much
like wool in a variety of rich deep colours.
For further information
please contact:
International
Alpaca Association
alpaca
tops, alpaca web, alpaca yarns, mohair tops, scoured mohair, mohair
yarns, dehaired cashmere, cashmere tops, cashmere yarns, alpaca, mohair,
cashmere, camel hair
