These beautiful animals have been domesticated for thousands of years and the textiles made from their fleeces have been highly prized for centuries. This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.

 The Fleece of an Alpaca:

you can see the fine strands and the 'crimping'.

Alpacas produce one of the world's finest and most luxurious natural fibers. Its fineness is measured in microns and on average falls within the range 20-35, with 20-22 being considered the finest.

Alpaca fibre is more akin to hair due to its cellular composition, however it is generally described as a speciality fibre and a wool.

It has a medullated core made up from air-filled cells which may be interrupted or continuous and this not only makes it incredibly lightweight but also contributes significantly to its insulating properties and its strength. In its native habitat, high in the Andes, the sun beats down during the day while at night temperatures dip below freezing.  This hollow construction of the fibres gives great solar protection by day and thermal insulation by night.

Today it is a natural alternative to the synthetic fibres used in action wear and ideal for baby wear as Alpaca is hypo allergenic containing no grease, oil or lanolin in its untreated and natural state. It is also gentle on the skin as the number of scales on individual fibres is considerably reduced compared to sheep's wool and this also helps to explain why wool allergic people do not have the same reaction to Alpaca.  The naturally occurring resin in the fleece makes it incredibly durable and hard wearing as it is resistant to water, staining and pilling.