Fiber Basics*


Shearing
Alpaca is an amazing fiber. Like sheep's wool, alpaca grows naturally on domestic livestock. Once every year, alpacas are shorn either with hand shears or electric clippers (like heavy duty dog grooming clippers). Usually, alpacas are "blown out" before shearing - an electric blower is used to fluff up and clean out loose dirt and hay prior to shearing. They may also be groomed by hand but unless done carefully brushing the fiber may destroy its natural properties (like luster or crimp).

On the Animal
Alpaca fiber is as soft as cashmere. It is quite rare and valuable. Younger animals and lighter colored animals generally have finer fiber. Dark animals with fine fiber are rare. Fineness is measured in microns which describe the thickness of the individual fibers. Alpaca comes in a wide variety of natural colors - 16 colors are recognized by the American Alpacas and Breeders Association. The colors range from white through shades of brown and fawn to gray and black. These vibrant natural colors are completely organic and do not need to be chemically dyed. Another unique aspect of alpaca fiber is crimp - the fiber is naturally wavy which contributes to its strength and texture.

Alpaca Fiber Compared to Sheep's Wool
Alpaca fiber can be spun right after shearing. Sheep's wool is processed with chemicals to remove the lanolin (or natural grease) before the wool can be used. In fact, some people believe that the scratchy, irritation they get from wearing wool next to the skin is caused by a reaction to those chemicals. The structure of alpaca fiber is different from sheep's wool. On a microscopic level, it is easy to see why wool can feel harsh next to the skin and alpaca generally does not. From its soft texture, you would think that alpaca is delicate but in the Andes mountains (alpacas' native land) hand knit sweaters last for generations and are handed down from one person to the next. In fact, alpaca is said to be more than seven times as strong and durable as sheep's wool.

Fiber Uses
Fiber is spun into yarn which can be woven or knit into garments. Spinning, weaving and knitting can all be done by hand or by machine. Yarn can be spun of pure alpaca or mixed with another fiber (like mohair, angora or wool) to create a blend. Raw fiber can also be felted into a thick material used for slippers, vests, hats or rugs. Of course, many people are familiar with alpaca sweaters but are surprised that alpaca is often woven into fine fiber for suits and dresses. The use of the fiber is determined by its quality. The best quality fiber is on the animal's blanket (or back) which can be used on garments close to the skin. The neck, belly and leg fiber is usually coarser and may be less clean (that's the part that's usually on the ground!) so it's best for things like slippers or decorative items.

Modern Natural Resource
Alpacas have been raised domestically for over 2000 years and yet the alpaca industry is ideal for our Twenty-first Century world. Raising alpacas can be done efficiently on a small acreage with little impact on the environment (see "the Amazing alpaca"). Less processing in creating alpaca garments means no chemical waste is created. Natural colored fiber means we can live more simply without chemically treated garments.

*P.S. It's not called "fur" because fur is removed with the skin of an animal.