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Once you get
your hands on alpaca fiber
you immediately understand
the intrinsic value of
everything produced from it.
For 5,000 years South
American people bred alpaca
to be finer and finer. The
softness and warmth of
alpaca comes from the fact
that it is the finest of all
natural fiber at around
18-26 microns. Only cashmere
down around 14-16 microns
thick is finer. In
comparison, human hair is
about 100 microns thick.
Spinners say that alpaca
spins like butter. Mountain
climbers are wearing alpaca
socks on their feet...testimony
to the fact that alpaca is
four times warmer than
sheep's wool.
Fiber arts have been an
integral part of our society
for centuries consisting of
beauty and function.
Tapestries were woven
depicting family trees and
historic events. Knitted
designs represented clans
and geographic locations.
Crocheted designs adorned
tables at special feasts.
The arts were passed down
from mother to daughter.
Today, fiber arts continue
to be practiced and enjoyed
by designers, those who hand
knit, crochet, weave and
spin commercially and by the
hobbyist as well.
Why is Alpaca fiber
valuable?
Alpaca fiber is classified
as a rare specialty fiber.
It is five times warmer than
sheep wool fiber and more
luxurious than cashmere.
There are more than
22 natural colors of alpaca
fleece. An infinite array of
natural colors can be
produced by blending these
fibers. Alpaca fiber can
also be easily worked.
Alpaca fiber is strong and
resilient and has more
thermal capacity than almost
any other animal fiber. The
fiber actually contains
microscopic air pockets that
contribute to the creation
of lightweight apparel with
very high insulation value.
Alpaca fiber does not itch
as wool often does because
it does not contain lanolin
and has a smooth cell
structure.
In physical
structure, alpaca fiber is
somewhat akin to hair, being
very glossy, but its
softness and fineness enable
the
spinner
to produce satisfactory
yarn
with comparative ease. Good
quality alpaca fiber is
approximately 18-25 in
diameter. Finer fleeces,
ones with a smaller
diameter, are preferred, and
thus are more expensive.
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