ABOUT ALPACAS
Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains of Peru, Bolivia, and Chile and are descendents of extinct North American camelids. First commercially imported to the United States in 1984, there are now over 150,000 ARI (Alpaca Registry, Inc.) registered alpacas in North America.
The smaller cousins of llamas and camels, alpacas stand approximately 36 inches at the withers and generally weigh between 150 and 200 pounds. They do not have horns, hooves, claws or incisors. Social animals, they seek companionship and generally like people. They communicate most commonly by softly humming.
ABOUT ALPACA FIBER
Alpaca fiber comes in 22 natural colors and is shorn yearly. Each animal produces five to ten pounds of luxurious fiber. It is softer than cashmere, warmer and stronger than wool, lighter than cotton, and has the luster of silk. Once worn only by royalty, today the raw fleece is sold to hand-spinners and fiber artists, spun into knitting yarn and turned into clothing. The smooth alpaca fiber is similar to human hair. It is water and dirt resistant and can be washed with shampoo. The fiber is naturally hypoallergenic and contains no lanolin. Most people find that they can wear alpaca clothing without the allergies, itching or skin irritation caused by wool.
