Alpaca

Raised in the Andes Mountains, the fleeces are usually obtained after a two year growth. The fiber diameter is about 1/800 inches. The fiber is lustrous, soft to touch, strong, wavy; the fleece will weigh about 10 pounds. Fine alpaca is from 4 1/2 inches to 8 inches in length; medium alpaca is 5 l/2 inches to 9 inches long; coarse alpaca is from 7 to ll inches in staple length. In color, alpaca fibers range from white to brown or black. The two types of fibers obtained from the 180 pound animal are: 1) soft wool-like hair, 2) stiff beard hair alpaca is coarser than camel or vicuna.