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The
Alpaca is a South American camelid related to the Llama and Vicuna.
The
natural habitat for the Alpaca is the altiplano in the Andean
countries of South America where they number around 3 million. The
Alpaca is adaptable to a wide range of climates and temperatures and
is very happy in the UK where the national herd has
reached approximately 15,000 animals.
Alpacas are bred for their fleece which in Inca times was known as
the Fibre of the Gods and reserved for royal
use.
There
are two varieties of alpaca; the Suri and the Huacaya. The Suri has
long, straight, silky hair which resembles dreadlocks whereas the
Huacaya has a shorter, curly fleece which gives the animal its cute,
cuddly appearance. It is the crimp in the Huacaya fleece that makes it
an ideal fibre for spinning into knitting yarn.
The
animals are sheared once a year and produce between 2 and 5 kilos of
fleece each time. The fleece is graded into four categories depending on its
fineness. The thickest being Coarse through Super Fine and Baby to the
finest, Super Fine or Royal, a range from 35 to 17 microns.
Alpaca fleece is the
only natural fibre that comes in 22 recognised shades from 7 colours
ranging
from white through fawns, browns and greys to black.
The white
fleece can be spun and dyed to any colour.
The
fleece is a medulated or hollow fibre which has great insulating
properties providing garments which provide warmth without weight. |
