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Fiber Profile:
Alpaca

It's a camel! It's an ostrich! What is that odd-looking animal, anyway?

It's an Alpaca!

When they first started appearing in the U.S. 20 years ago, alpacas were often used as "novelty" animals in petting zoos. If they were poked, pinched, or prodded one too many times, the animals resorted to a defense mechanism they are now known for: spitting.

Don't be mislead, however. If left to their own devices, alpacas are mellow, gentle animals that spend their days grazing and taking in the fresh air. Spend the afternoon watching these animals and you'll be convinced -- as am I -- that they're truly remarkable creatures, deserving all of the attention they're getting.

South American Beginnings

While Merino sheep and angora goats have their roots in the Middle East and Europe, the alpaca is distinctively South American. The Incas prized alpaca fiber, used it for clothing, and included the animal in many of their religious ceremonies.

When the Spanish conquistadors arrived, they were too enamored with Merino to see any value in alpacas, so they remained undiscovered by Europeans for many more years.

Europeans Catch On

In the mid-1880s, Sir Titus Salt of Yorkshire, England, began exploring the properties of alpaca fleece. He produced textiles from alpaca fiber and introduced them across Europe.

Despite Salt's efforts, however, the alpaca textile industry never left South America because of strict animal exportation regulations imposed by various South American governments.

Today, the alpaca industry is centered in Arequipa, Peru. Almost 99% of the world's alpaca population (some three million animals) is still found in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia.

Why Alpaca?

Alpacas make great economical and environmental sense. While wool continues to decline in value, alpaca earns a high premium. The animals need very little land on which to graze; they're generally healthy and trouble-free; they have pleasant temperaments; and they produce a fiber that's softer than cashmere.

When we first published this article, there was no commercial spinnery in the United States equipped to process alpaca for large-scale commercial yarn companies, so many breeders pooled their fleeces into collective orders and sent them to South America to be processed. Fortunately, this has changed in recent days. Still, in the case of larger manufacturers, almost all of them get their fiber straight from South America.

As the number of animals and commercial alpaca spinneries in the United States increase, the price of alpaca fiber is sure to drop. For now, it remains at a premium.

 Read about our road trip to Fiber Fields Alpaca Farm.

 Talk about alpaca in our forums



Read Reviews of Alpaca Yarns

  Adrienne Vittadini Eva
  Adrienne Vittadini Natasha
  Blue Sky Alpaca
 Catalina Chunky Baby Alpaca
  Classic Elite Inca Alpaca
  Classic Elite Wings
 Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk
 Fibreworks Overview
  Filatura di Crosa Muschio
  GGH Alaska
  Goddess Yarns Julia
  Jaeger Alpaca
  Jaeger Luxury Tweed
 Knit Picks overview
  Noro Transitions
  Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush


Additional Links

 New England Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association
 Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association
 Alpaca and Llama Show Association
 The Alpaca Registry, Inc.
 NEWAIM Farm