What is it about alpaca fiber that makes it so special? Alpacas have been raised for their fiber for centuries in the central highlands of Peru called the altiplano at altitudes between 12,000 and 16,000 feet. Mike Safely says in his book Alpacas-Synthesis of a Miracle that "this extreme elevation is the last plateau upon which man can survive". (page 18). Their environment contributed to making this little creature a tough, efficient fiber producing machine. The temperatures at night as well as during the bright daylight can dip to freezing. Their fiber can be so dense that water can't even penetrate. I've learned about the "dust line" which is the obvious line of demarcation where the fleece is so thick that the dirt can't get through..so the fibers are very clean closer to the skin and soiled towards the ends. The thicker the animal's coat, the cleaner the animal's fibers are before the dust line. A superior fleece should have the appearance of popcorn or cauliflower and it should be able to be opened like a book, not a rose. Because of it's softness, warmth and lightness of weight, alpaca fiber was originally reserved for Incan royalty. The staple, or fiber length is longer than sheep's wool or even cashmere's and it is the short fibers that cause itchiness in woolen garments and make them uncomfortable to be worn next to the skin. Alpaca fiber also doesn't contain lanolin like sheep's wool and can be spun into fiber with minimal processing. It's also 3 times warmer, 7 times stronger than wool and naturally water resistant. No other animal comes in so many natural colors either! Alpacas come in 22 shades, thus eliminating the need for dyes in many cases. We have decided in our breeding program to TRY to breed for white so that when the United States does have enough alpacas to fully support a textile market, our alpaca fiber will be more versatile by having the ability to be dyed into colors other than those that appear naturally. I say "try" to breed white because as I've learned " Like bred to like does not always beget like"! ( Ideal Alpacas from Myth to Reality by Michael Safely.) An alpaca could be called the perfect "green animal". It has soft padded two toed feet that don't tear up a pasture, it doesn't eat a pasture to the nub, it prefers to deposit its waste in communal dung piles which because of the 3 compartments in its stomach is fermented and ready to be applied to gardens as fertilizer without further composting, and of course the fleece can be harvested without harming the animal!
Alpaca fiber comes in more than 22 natural shades including true black!! No need to dye!
