Alpaca

The Alpaca is one of two domesticated breeds of South American camel-like ungulates, derived from the wild guanaco. It resembles a sheep in appearance, but is larger in size, and has a long erect neck with a handsome head.

Related Topics:
Camel - Ungulates - Guanaco

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Alpacas are kept in large flocks which graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of between 3500 and 5000 meters above sea-level, throughout the year. They are not used as beasts of burden like llamas, but are valued only for their fiber, of which Indian blankets and ponchos are

Related Topics:
Andes - Peru - Bolivia - Chile - Llamas - Fiber

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made. The alpaca comes in 22 natural colours. In stature, the alpaca (Lama huanacos pacos) is considerably inferior to the llama, but has the same unpleasant habit of spitting.

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In the textile industry, "alpaca" is a name given to two distinct things. It is primarily a term applied to the wool, or rather hair, obtained from the Peruvian alpaca. It is, however, more broadly applied to a style of fabric originally made from alpaca fiber but now frequently made from a similar type of fiber, such as mohair, Icelandic sheep wool, or even some high-quality English wool. In trade, distinctions are made between alpacas and the several styles of mohairs and lustres. However, as far as the general purchaser is concerned, little or no distinction is made.

Related Topics:
Mohair - Icelandic sheep

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The four species of indigenous South American fiber-bearing animals are the llama, the alpaca, the guanaco and the vicuña. The llama and the alpaca are domesticated; the guanaco and the vicuña run wild. Of the four, the alpaca and the vicuña are the most valuable wool-bearing animals: the alpaca because of the quality and quantity of its wool, and the vicuña because of the softness, fineness and quality of its coat. At the beginning of the 19th century, the usual length of alpaca staples appears to have been about 12 inches (305 mm) -- equivalent to three year's growth. However, nowadays the length is little more than about half of this -- one to two year's growth -- although from time to time, longer staples can be found. The fleeces are sorted by colour and quality by skilled native women. The colour of the greater proportion of alpaca imported into the United Kingdom is black and brown, but there is also a fair proportion of white, grey and fawn. It is customary to mix these colours together, thus producing a curious ginger-coloured yarn, which upon being dyed black in the piece takes a fuller and deeper shade than can be obtained by piece-dyeing a solid-coloured wool.

Related Topics:
Llama - Guanaco - Vicuña - 19th century - United Kingdom

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In physical structure, alpaca is somewhat akin to hair, being very glossy, but its softness and fineness enable the spinner to produce satisfactory yarn with comparative ease.

Related Topics:
Spinner - Yarn

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