Amazing qualities and benefits of natural alpaca fiber

Chances are, many of you reading this article may not be familiar with alpacas and the wonderful fiber they produce annually. I could go at length writing about this wonderful livestock that originates from South America, but my primary focus is to share the amazing qualities of this natural fiber that is still considered somewhat rare and very valuable. Alpacas go way back in history to even before the rise of the ancient Incan Civilization, which had its beginnings in the 13^th Century A.D. They have been domesticated for 7000 years, which is twice as long as any other livestock. Their fiber became known as the “Fiber of the Gods” because it was ultra-fine and held incredible value to these people. In the highlands of Peru, this precious fiber was even used in place of money at one time.

The Inca were great cloth makers and they greatly regarded alpaca fiber for its luxurious fineness and softness. This incredible, alluring fleece from these smaller, slender members of the camelid family became so highly prized by these people that it developed into being considered a fiber that was only fit for royalty. It was common for the people of the Andes to use the cloth spun from the alpaca fleece as currency. The Inca Emperors would give gifts of the soft fabric made by the expert weavers to their loyal nobles. They would even pay their armies with it. At one time, the Incan Civilization was very powerful, and it seems the basis of this power was created through the significance and highly-regarded attributes and properties of alpaca fiber. For centuries, the ancestors of the Inca people measured their wealth by the number of alpacas they owned.

High-End Fashion Fiber

There is a natural elegance to alpaca fiber which makes it highly sought after in the textile market and with many high-end fashion designers. It has excellent thermal properties and comes in a wide range of colors. In fact, alpaca comes in the widest range of colors of any natural fiber. Because of the high demand and relative rarity of alpaca fiber, its value has remained high. The popularity of this fiber has grown so much that it is now being produced in North America, Australia, Europe and even South Africa.

Alpaca Fiber Characteristics

The value of alpaca fleece is based on the many positive, commercial attributes it has. In fact, there are no known negative traits to be found. Alpacas are one of God’s amazing creatures that was put on this earth to truly benefit mankind in so many ways. If you ever meet an alpaca breeder, you’ll immediately recognize their passion and love for these incredible animals.

Desirable Characteristics of Alpaca Fiber

• There are 22 natural distinct colors, ranging from white to black with shades of beige, fawns, browns, greys, and even maroons and peach colors in between. The different colors of fibers can also be blended to achieve an even greater array of natural colors. The white fiber can be dyed to achieve brighter colors, only limited by your imagination.
• Alpaca fiber can be used in a variety of applications from a wide range of apparel and textiles such as heirloom quality sweaters, shawls and scarves to expensive suits, as well as high-end blue jeans to unique home wares.
• Alpaca fiber is strong and resilient, making it ideal for industrial processing.
• Since alpacas originated from the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains in South America, where temperatures can become very frigid and cold, their fiber has developed a great thermal capacity than most any other animal. It actually contains microscopic air pockets, giving it tremendous insulating properties as well as being very lightweight.
• Alpaca fiber is extremely fine with a very soft handle. It has much less ‘prickle’ factor than most other natural fibers. ‘Prickle’ factor is what creates the itchiness sensation one often feels against the skin from other wool products.
• Alpaca has a natural, rich luster quality which gives any garment that is made from 100% Alpaca a very nice visual appeal.
• Alpaca fleece is easier and less costly to process than normal sheep’s wool because it doesn’t contain lanolin and alpacas can easily be shorn rather than de-haired like cashmere or camel, which is often a longer, more tedious process.
• Alpaca fiber can be cleaned and scoured without using any costly chemicals.
• When alpaca fiber is processed, it generally produces a higher yield of clean fiber, typically 87 to 95 percent versus only 43 to 76 percent for sheep’s wool.
• Alpaca fiber is considered to be hypoallergenic, due to the lack of lanolin it contains. It’s even been labeled as being ‘fire retardant.’
• Alpaca fiber is coveted by hand spinners and fiber artisans as well as European high-fashion designers.
• Alpaca is great for outdoor apparel, since it naturally resists water and is extremely warm. It naturally resists pilling, doesn’t stain or wrinkle easily.
• Alpaca fiber is said to be stronger than mohair, finer than cashmere, softer than cotton, smoother than silk, warmer than goose down and breathes better than thermal knits.

Alpaca Fiber Diameter

Alpaca fiber is measured in microns. Alpaca breeders will generally get a test called a ‘histogram,’ which measures the microns of a single fiber using special equipment that is specifically designed for the wool industry. The smaller the micron, the finer the fiber. Breeders worldwide continue to breed for increasing the quality of their herds and when it comes to the textile industry, the finer the fleece, the greater the value. The importance of developing alpacas that carry lingering fineness as they age has become an important factor in many alpaca breeding programs.

Alpaca fiber currently falls mostly in the ranges of 17 to 34 microns. A micron measurement consists of one millionth of a meter or 1/24,400^th of an inch. Alpaca fiber in the United States is graded as follows:

· Royal Baby Alpaca – less than 20 microns

· Baby Alpaca – from 20 to 22.9 microns

· Super Fine Alpaca – from 23 to 26.9 microns

· Adult/Strong Alpaca – from 27 to 34 microns

In Conclusion

Alpaca fiber probably has the most winning combinations of useful characteristics and qualities, making it not only desirable for use in apparel, but it’s use in other areas are only limited by our imagination. Recently, an alpaca breeder friend of mine was speaking with someone in the home insulation industry, and he was very interested in the insulant and fire retardant properties of natural alpaca fiber.

As more people become aware of alpacas and the growing trend toward the ‘green’ movement, of which alpacas are perfectly adapted for with being sustainable, natural and renewable, alpacas will become a highly desirable livestock to own. Not simply because they have some of the finest fleece in the world, but they are also easy keepers and a delightful animal to be around.

This article was written by Anne Marie Perry of Spirit of the Rose Alpacas. Anne Marie and her husband, Rich Perry, are breeders of fine huacuya alpacas. Their breeding program is focused on the health and longevity of the breed with a concentration on developing elite alpaca fiber to meet the growing demands of the world textile market. They offer alpaca animal and fiber sales as well as free consultation and mentoring to those desiring to experience the wonderful world of alpacas. They can be contacted via email at perryspacas@gmail.com or you can call them at 317-663-3227.