Alpacas

The scientific name for the alpaca is lama pacos, and it’s the most common among the four South American camelid species. Most alpacas reside in the Peruvian Andes, but you’ll also find a large number of them in Australia, making it one of the biggest populations outside of Latin America.

The alpaca usually measures between 1.20 and 1.50 meters tall and weighs around 45 to 79 kilograms. It has a more compact, curved silhouette compared to the llama and is easily identified by its charming fringe of hair on the forehead.

For centuries, families living in the high-altitude regions of the Andes have lovingly raised alpaca herds to support their livelihoods. They gently shear the animals and sell their exquisite fibre, which has been a cherished source of income since the days of the Inca Empire.

There are two lovely varieties of alpacas: the Huacaya and the Suri.

Huacaya alpacas have fibres that grow perpendicularly, giving them a soft, dense, and fluffy appearance with a lovely lustre and charming curls.

Suri alpacas, on the other hand, have fibres that grow parallel to their body, forming beautiful fringes of curls all around. Their fibres are silkier and shinier, adding to their unique charm.

Alpacas are usually sheared once a year between November and April, which covers the spring and summer months. The amount of wool each alpaca produces can differ, but on average, they give about five pounds (2.3 kg). Interestingly, some fleeces can be quite substantial, weighing up to 15 pounds (6.9 kg).

Alpaca fibre is truly special because it comes in a wonderful array of natural colours, offering up to 22 beautiful shades like white, black, grey, fawn, and brown. This charming variety really makes it stand out from other natural fibres.

The fibre is classified manually according to its fineness and sorted into qualities such as

Royal Alpaca: 18-19 microns, the finest fibre of Huacaya. It represents 2% of total alpaca production.

Baby Alpaca: 22-23 microns. It represents 25% of total alpaca production.

Baby Suri Alpaca: 22-23 microns long, silky and sparse fibre. It represents 0.5% of total alpaca production.

Alpaca Superfine: 26-27 microns curly hair fibre. It represents 40% of total alpaca production.

The names of fibre qualities, like "Baby," don't actually tell you about the age or appearance of the animal. Instead, these names are used for products such as clothing and yarn that feature an average fibre diameter of 22.5 microns. Interestingly, you can get this quality from an adult animal with a fine coat, not only from a baby.

Alpaca is known for being a durable and sturdy material, especially in its highest quality, which makes it an excellent choice for industrial applications. It can be dyed in any colour and still retain its natural shine, adding to its appeal. You can process alpaca using either woollen or worsted systems, giving you the flexibility to create a wide range of fabrics- from rugged tweeds to elegant gabardine. Plus, its fibres are resistant to breaking, fraying, staining, and static electricity, and it's simple to keep clean. Overall, alpaca combines resilience, versatility, and beauty, making it a wonderful material to work with.

Alpaca yields a generous amount of fibre after processing, ranging from 87% to 95%, which is quite impressive compared to sheep's wool, with a yield of 43% to 76%. It's also a more budget-friendly and eco-friendly option because it doesn't contain grease or lanolin. Plus, unlike cashmere, it doesn't require de-hairing.

Alpaca Lifestyle

Thanks to the special qualities of alpaca, many luxury brands love using alpaca fibre to create stylish, high-quality fashion pieces. But wearing an alpaca garment is about more than just looks- it carries a meaningful message.

It represents:

Being gentle on the land.
Conserving energy and water.
Supporting the Andean people and honouring their cultural history.
Joining a unique community that values mindfulness and enlightenment.