Huacaya Fleece
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by: cindy
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Alpaca fleece is a luxurious natural fiber once reserved for Incan royalty. Its used to
make socks, sweaters, scarves, blankets, gloves, shirts, etc. It naturally comes in 22 basic
colors with many variations and is:
warmer, lighter, stronger, more durable and more water repellant than wool
soft as cashmere and as fine as silk
hypoallergenic
ready made for spinning because it contains no lanolin
Annually each Alpaca can be expected to produce 3 12+ pounds of fiber. The fleece can
be sent to a co-op for processing or sold to cottage industries. It is sold as Raw/Shorn,
Washed, Spun/Yarn, Knitted, or Felted. To give some idea of the value, Raw/shorn fiber
can sell for $1 - $40 / lb and Spun/Yarn $2 - $7 / ounce ($32 - $112/lb) depending on the
quality, color, etc.
Huacaya fleece is characterized by the following:
Crimp (waves in the fiber) is the easiest aspect to see as shown in the above
pictures. Generally lighter colored Alpacas tend to have better and more uniform
crimp.
Density is in regard to how many fibers are in a square inch of the Alpaca fleece.
The more dense an Alpacas is, the more fleece thats produced.
Staple Length is the length of the fiber. A longer staple length is desirable.
Sheen/Luster/Brightness is how bright and/or glossy the fiber appears and is
desirable.
Fineness describes how fine the actual hair follicle is, (measured in microns)
resulting in softer more luxurious garments.
Handle is the overall feel of the fleece (how soft or coarse it feels).
Note: The above information has been derived from both personal experiences and information
contained on multiple web-sites such as AlpacaNation.com and Alpacainfo.com.
About the Author
http;;www.redwoodalpacas.com
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