Alpaca
Alpaca fibre is harvested from a group of animals biologically known as the South American Camelidae family. Alpaca wool and yarn are ideal for producing a hard-wearing and light garment, with great insulating properties. The alpaca (Vicugna pacos) is a South American mountain animal, principally found in Peru and Ecuador, smaller numbers are also found in the northern parts of Bolivia and Chile. There are two types of alpaca. The huacaya (pronounced wua'ki'ya) produce a dense, soft sheep-like fibre with a uniform crimp. The suri (pronounced soo'ree) have silky, pencil-fine, mop-like locks. Suris make up the remaining 20% of the population and are prized for their finer, longer fibres. Alpaca farming is of low impact to the environment. Alpaca yarn is great for those with sensitive skin as it is soft and not itchy and it contains no lanolin, so it’s ideal if you suffer from allergies. Alpaca is often blended with wool fibres for easier working and elasticity and each alpaca fibre is hollow, making it very lightweight. Choose your alpaca fibre from the range of brands, weights, blends and colours available.
