What Is Alpaca Fiber?
26 Jun 2024
The history of fabric has undergone many changes, but woolen fabrics have been and will always be valued. Alpaca fabric is one such fabric. It combines the best properties of camel, sheep, and llama wool, which is why it is still highly recognized in most countries.
In the woolen clothing market, alpaca yarn is considered one of the most valuable and frequently used yarns for sewing warm clothing, often resembling sheep's wool in its properties but of higher quality. Alpaca woolen clothing is not only warm clothing, it is first and foremost a sign of quality, as well as an accent on refined taste and style. Fashion designers, adding the wool of this amazing animal to their creations, make woolen clothes more attractive, and pleasant to the touch, especially warm and resistant to long-term wear, which combines lightness and practicality, charm, and amazing durability.
Today people consider camel or sheep wool to be the warmest. But warmer is the fur of alpaca, which breeding is carried out in the highlands of South America. Therefore, people are interested in what kind of material alpaca is. The highlands of the Peruvian Andes are home to very intelligent and cute animals - alpacas. They are bred to produce wool with unique properties, which is the most expensive of all known types of wool fibers.
What this animal is and why is its wool so expensive? Let's consider the features of the material in more detail in this blog.
In the woolen clothing market, alpaca yarn is considered one of the most valuable and frequently used yarns for sewing warm clothing, often resembling sheep's wool in its properties but of higher quality. Alpaca woolen clothing is not only warm clothing, it is first and foremost a sign of quality, as well as an accent on refined taste and style. Fashion designers, adding the wool of this amazing animal to their creations, make woolen clothes more attractive, and pleasant to the touch, especially warm and resistant to long-term wear, which combines lightness and practicality, charm, and amazing durability.
Today people consider camel or sheep wool to be the warmest. But warmer is the fur of alpaca, which breeding is carried out in the highlands of South America. Therefore, people are interested in what kind of material alpaca is. The highlands of the Peruvian Andes are home to very intelligent and cute animals - alpacas. They are bred to produce wool with unique properties, which is the most expensive of all known types of wool fibers.
What this animal is and why is its wool so expensive? Let's consider the features of the material in more detail in this blog.
What Is Alpaca Wool?
To understand the value of wool, you need to know a little about what kind of animals they are. And let's talk about the alpaca. The alpaca is part of modern culture where it is a kind and funny image. It is an industry of agriculture in Peru. It's a fashion industry and not just funny prints on t-shirts or figurines for interiors - it's luxury textiles and knitwear.
Alpaca is the name of a species of animal. Alpaca are pets, which were tamed by Peruvian Indians 6000 years ago. In those distant times, alpaca wool served as currency. A domesticated animal, its wild ancestor is the vicuña. At first glance, it resembles a small sheep whose flanks are covered with long and fine wool.
The animal is quite rare, it is not found throughout the world. The natural location of the animal is the Andes. At altitude, in the mountains, the temperature regime is very unstable, so hot days and very cold nights are common. Thanks to these peculiarities, the wool of animals has the highest level of thermoregulation. It is this quality that gives it great value. In modern conditions, alpaca breeding is practiced on both American continents. But the quality of products often leaves much to be desired, although the price is very affordable.
The average weight of the animal is no more than 70 kg. Shearing is usually done only once a year. Each animal receives 3-3.5 kg of wool, which is then sorted by hand by color and quality. The specialty of the alpaca is that there are 22 natural shades of wool from white and beige to burgundy-brown and almost black.
Alpaca wool is not just a knitting material, it is a symbol of warmth, comfort, and impeccable style. Woven from soft and lightweight alpaca fibers, this yarn has won the hearts of needlewomen all over the world with its unique properties. Immersing yourself in the world of alpaca yarn, you will discover not only new possibilities for creativity but also feel the real touch of nature in every product you create.
Alpaca is the name of a species of animal. Alpaca are pets, which were tamed by Peruvian Indians 6000 years ago. In those distant times, alpaca wool served as currency. A domesticated animal, its wild ancestor is the vicuña. At first glance, it resembles a small sheep whose flanks are covered with long and fine wool.
The animal is quite rare, it is not found throughout the world. The natural location of the animal is the Andes. At altitude, in the mountains, the temperature regime is very unstable, so hot days and very cold nights are common. Thanks to these peculiarities, the wool of animals has the highest level of thermoregulation. It is this quality that gives it great value. In modern conditions, alpaca breeding is practiced on both American continents. But the quality of products often leaves much to be desired, although the price is very affordable.
The average weight of the animal is no more than 70 kg. Shearing is usually done only once a year. Each animal receives 3-3.5 kg of wool, which is then sorted by hand by color and quality. The specialty of the alpaca is that there are 22 natural shades of wool from white and beige to burgundy-brown and almost black.
Alpaca wool is not just a knitting material, it is a symbol of warmth, comfort, and impeccable style. Woven from soft and lightweight alpaca fibers, this yarn has won the hearts of needlewomen all over the world with its unique properties. Immersing yourself in the world of alpaca yarn, you will discover not only new possibilities for creativity but also feel the real touch of nature in every product you create.
What Different Types of Alpaca Wool Are There?
Specialists distinguish two species of animals - Suri and Huacaya. In appearance, the animals are very similar to each other and differ only in the length and structure of wool fibers.
🦙Huacaya
Huacaya has fibers similar to soft plush. It has a dense, wavy coat, for which they are often compared to teddy bears. In the wild, the Huacaya alpaca is the most numerous and widespread species of these animals. Fibers derived from uakaya are used to make 95% of products.
🦙Suri
The number of Suri llamas just reaches 5% of all alpacas in the world. Their wool is long and plait-like, it is the rarest and most valuable. The wool is long, fine, and ends in a fancy curl. The thickness of such a fiber is 19-25 microns. Suri alpacas require special care. Regular shearing helps prevent overheating during the warm season and keeps the coat in good condition. Attention to nutrition is also required to keep the coat healthy and shiny. It is for this reason that this wool is valued twice as much as Huacaya wool. In ancient times, Suri wool was a luxury item used exclusively for royalty.
🦙Huacaya
Huacaya has fibers similar to soft plush. It has a dense, wavy coat, for which they are often compared to teddy bears. In the wild, the Huacaya alpaca is the most numerous and widespread species of these animals. Fibers derived from uakaya are used to make 95% of products.
🦙Suri
The number of Suri llamas just reaches 5% of all alpacas in the world. Their wool is long and plait-like, it is the rarest and most valuable. The wool is long, fine, and ends in a fancy curl. The thickness of such a fiber is 19-25 microns. Suri alpacas require special care. Regular shearing helps prevent overheating during the warm season and keeps the coat in good condition. Attention to nutrition is also required to keep the coat healthy and shiny. It is for this reason that this wool is valued twice as much as Huacaya wool. In ancient times, Suri wool was a luxury item used exclusively for royalty.
How Is Alpaca Fiber Processed?
Before the wool is sent to the mill, it is thoroughly processed, removing excess elements such as leaves and hay. At the mill, the wool is washed repeatedly with natural soap until it is completely clean. After air drying, the wool is conveyed to a conveyor belt and then to a machine where it is separated into fibers using toothed rollers. The fibers are then treated with a mixture of conditioners and left to soak overnight to avoid static electricity.
The fibers are then passed through a machine that combs them with fine brushes, strengthening and separating them by thickness. The fibers of different thicknesses are then separated into equal weight batches. In the carding machine, the fibers are evenly distributed over the drum, forming an even and thin web. This web can be used to make blanket padding, felt, or long bundles of fibers that are then turned into wool yarns.
After the twisting process, a thick yarn is obtained, which is used to make wool yarn. By varying the number of threads and the speed of twisting, the thickness of the yarn can be adjusted, creating anything from thin to thick. The yarn is then wound on spools to form the wefts, which are tied together and prepared for dyeing.
The result is a warm, soft, and water-resistant alpaca wool yarn ready for knitting scarves, sweaters, and other items.
The fibers are then passed through a machine that combs them with fine brushes, strengthening and separating them by thickness. The fibers of different thicknesses are then separated into equal weight batches. In the carding machine, the fibers are evenly distributed over the drum, forming an even and thin web. This web can be used to make blanket padding, felt, or long bundles of fibers that are then turned into wool yarns.
After the twisting process, a thick yarn is obtained, which is used to make wool yarn. By varying the number of threads and the speed of twisting, the thickness of the yarn can be adjusted, creating anything from thin to thick. The yarn is then wound on spools to form the wefts, which are tied together and prepared for dyeing.
The result is a warm, soft, and water-resistant alpaca wool yarn ready for knitting scarves, sweaters, and other items.
You May Have Wondered, "What's so Special About Alpaca?"
Fabrics and yarns made from alpaca wool are characterized by many valuable qualities. Here are some of them:
Alpaca does not cause allergies. On the wool of this high mountain animal, there are almost no organic fats, in particular, lanolin, which determines the hypoallergenic of fabrics and yarns. After all, it is animal wax that is a breeding ground for dust mites and other pathogenic microflora. The absence of lanolin allows you to use products with alpaca in the manufacture of children's clothing and home textiles for allergy sufferers.
The color range of wool is quite extensive in the natural version. Therefore, it is not often dyed. 20 natural colors are enough, you can buy yarn in black, white, gray, brown, beige, and silver tones.
Like any natural wool, alpaca is almost not soiled, so caring for products made of this material is not difficult.
It is valued for its durability. Even though the yarn weighs less than sheep material, it is 3 times stronger than the latter. The length of the fibers obtained when shearing alpaca reaches 20 cm. Fleece does not pile up, lint does not form on the products. Therefore, things created from such wool are light but very durable.
Products are comfortable at any time of year - in summer they are not hot, and in winter they are not cold. Good thermal insulation is one of the main advantages of alpaca wool.
Despite the large number of advantages, alpaca yarn still has certain disadvantages:
First of all, it is a high cost, due to the high costs of keeping animals. Not everyone can afford such clothes, which makes them a sign of wealth;
Like many woolen fabrics, it does not hold the shape of the elastic band well, it is better to knit it tighter, taking smaller and thinner needles. You can add another thread of polymer material, then the elastic band will be more elastic;
Due to the lack of lanolin in the composition of such yarn does not have a healing effect, which is attributed to sheep or camel wool;
Alpaca has unique properties, which makes it one of the most popular materials in the manufacture of clothing. Its serious disadvantages include only its high cost. However, it is completely justified, because the alpaca is rare and difficult to care for animals that can only be bred in mountainous areas.
Alpaca does not cause allergies. On the wool of this high mountain animal, there are almost no organic fats, in particular, lanolin, which determines the hypoallergenic of fabrics and yarns. After all, it is animal wax that is a breeding ground for dust mites and other pathogenic microflora. The absence of lanolin allows you to use products with alpaca in the manufacture of children's clothing and home textiles for allergy sufferers.
The color range of wool is quite extensive in the natural version. Therefore, it is not often dyed. 20 natural colors are enough, you can buy yarn in black, white, gray, brown, beige, and silver tones.
Like any natural wool, alpaca is almost not soiled, so caring for products made of this material is not difficult.
It is valued for its durability. Even though the yarn weighs less than sheep material, it is 3 times stronger than the latter. The length of the fibers obtained when shearing alpaca reaches 20 cm. Fleece does not pile up, lint does not form on the products. Therefore, things created from such wool are light but very durable.
Products are comfortable at any time of year - in summer they are not hot, and in winter they are not cold. Good thermal insulation is one of the main advantages of alpaca wool.
Despite the large number of advantages, alpaca yarn still has certain disadvantages:
First of all, it is a high cost, due to the high costs of keeping animals. Not everyone can afford such clothes, which makes them a sign of wealth;
Like many woolen fabrics, it does not hold the shape of the elastic band well, it is better to knit it tighter, taking smaller and thinner needles. You can add another thread of polymer material, then the elastic band will be more elastic;
Due to the lack of lanolin in the composition of such yarn does not have a healing effect, which is attributed to sheep or camel wool;
Alpaca has unique properties, which makes it one of the most popular materials in the manufacture of clothing. Its serious disadvantages include only its high cost. However, it is completely justified, because the alpaca is rare and difficult to care for animals that can only be bred in mountainous areas.
How Is Alpaca Wool Used?
For many years now, the unique features of this fabric have been appreciated by many people around the world. In the distant past, alpaca products were only available to a certain class, but today everyone can touch the luxury, even though it is not cheap. Often yarn of alpaca wool is used not only for making ready-made fabrics but also for needlework. Demanded products that can be sewn from alpaca cloth:
Outerwear: coats, jackets.
Accessories: hats, scarves and caps.
Casual wear: socks, dresses, sweaters, tracksuits. Especially convenient are double-sided products that can be turned inside out and worn like this.
Interior items, a set of home textiles: plaids, bedspreads, and carpets. For this category of things, manufacturers often resort to woolen raw materials obtained from old alpaca individuals.
The high cost of this wonderful material is justified by the unsurpassed characteristics of natural raw materials. Excellent thermoregulation, durability, and excellent aesthetic qualities make alpaca wool clothing truly universal and suitable for year-round wear.
Outerwear: coats, jackets.
Accessories: hats, scarves and caps.
Casual wear: socks, dresses, sweaters, tracksuits. Especially convenient are double-sided products that can be turned inside out and worn like this.
Interior items, a set of home textiles: plaids, bedspreads, and carpets. For this category of things, manufacturers often resort to woolen raw materials obtained from old alpaca individuals.
The high cost of this wonderful material is justified by the unsurpassed characteristics of natural raw materials. Excellent thermoregulation, durability, and excellent aesthetic qualities make alpaca wool clothing truly universal and suitable for year-round wear.
Fabric Care Guide: How to Care for Your Alpaca Garments
*️⃣Washing
Hand wash only!
Clothing made of alpaca will last a long time if you clean it by hand.
It is better to wash with the use of special liquid means marked "for wool". They gently care and do not damage the fibers.
Washing should be done in warm or cool water. The temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. The detergent is dissolved in the water. The fabric is soaked for a few minutes. You can not keep it in the water longer than 5 minutes, as the product may stretch unevenly.
*️⃣Drying and ironing
It is recommended to lay the item out on a flat surface, preferably on a cotton sheet or towel, while shaping it, and aligning the sleeves and side seams by hand. This will allow things not to deform when drying. When drying vertically, woolen things stretch and sag. Fabric is not dried on radiators or near other electrical appliances.
The product is ironed with steam. Iron in "steam" mode or steamer. Process with an iron through an additional layer. A moistened towel will do. To ironing proceed only when the material is completely dry. If the rules of washing are violated, shrinkage or stretching of the product is possible!
*️⃣Storage
Such wool does not tolerate the presence of mothballs, so to protect products from moths, it is better to use cedar, lavender, or tobacco.
Avoid sunlight, as u/v rays can eat away the color and damage the fibers.
Store on a shelf in a cool, dry place.
Hand wash only!
Clothing made of alpaca will last a long time if you clean it by hand.
It is better to wash with the use of special liquid means marked "for wool". They gently care and do not damage the fibers.
Washing should be done in warm or cool water. The temperature should not exceed 30 degrees. The detergent is dissolved in the water. The fabric is soaked for a few minutes. You can not keep it in the water longer than 5 minutes, as the product may stretch unevenly.
*️⃣Drying and ironing
It is recommended to lay the item out on a flat surface, preferably on a cotton sheet or towel, while shaping it, and aligning the sleeves and side seams by hand. This will allow things not to deform when drying. When drying vertically, woolen things stretch and sag. Fabric is not dried on radiators or near other electrical appliances.
The product is ironed with steam. Iron in "steam" mode or steamer. Process with an iron through an additional layer. A moistened towel will do. To ironing proceed only when the material is completely dry. If the rules of washing are violated, shrinkage or stretching of the product is possible!
*️⃣Storage
Such wool does not tolerate the presence of mothballs, so to protect products from moths, it is better to use cedar, lavender, or tobacco.
Avoid sunlight, as u/v rays can eat away the color and damage the fibers.
Store on a shelf in a cool, dry place.
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