FIBER
The primary function of the alpaca is fiber production. This animal sports one of the most luxurious and valuable fibers that exists today. It is the combination of softness, tensile strength and variety of color that set alpaca apart from other luxury fibers. There is no need to dye the fiber in order to have a wide spectrum of color, as the alpaca is found naturally in a wide variety of hues and tones, including black, gray, brown, fawn, rose-gray, red, apricot and white. There are 22 internationally recognized colors of alpaca fiber, however approximately 95% of the worldwide alpaca population is white. The rarity of colored alpacas contributes to their value. Products created from alpaca fiber are comfortable to wear because of the lack of "prickle", due to the absence of guard hair. The fiber shaft is partly medullated. For this reason, garments made of alpaca are extremely lightweight, yet very warm. Once utilized by the Inca Royals, alpaca fiber today is a popular material for the works of top Italian designers.

ALPACA FIBER VS. SHEEP'S WOOL
There are a number of factors that set alpaca fiber apart from sheep's wool. Perhaps the most obvious difference is the wide range of color naturally occurring in the alpaca population that is not found in sheep.

A very important characteristic of alpaca fiber is the handle or the "feel". The pleasing softness felt when alpaca fiber is placed next to the skin can be attributed to a number of factors. The fineness of the fiber contributes to the luxurious silky feel. However, a very fine sheep fleece (i.e. Merino) may have a comparable fineness, but a more harsh handle. This is because handle is also related to additional factures such as scale structure.

Alpaca fleeces tend to yield a higher percentage of clean fiber. Alpaca is lanolin-free and can be spun directly off of the animal. Sheep's wool requires cleaning prior to spinning.

Alpaca fiber has a higher thermal capacity and is extremely light weight in comparison to sheep's wool.

SHEARING
Alpacas should be shorn once a year, normallly in the spring, and yield anywhere from 3-10 pounds of exquisite fleece. The fiber, virtually grease-free, can be handspun directly off of the animal. Many breeders will have their fleece turned into rovings or yarn, and then into a variety of handmade products like socks, scarves, hats, sweaters, etc.

Alpaca Fiber*
Soft as cashmere and warmer, lighter and stronger than wool, Alpaca fiber comes in more colors than any other fiber producing animal 22 colors that are recognized by the textile industry, and there are many blends in addition to that. Alpacas are shorn for their wonderful fleece each year, which will produce an average yield of 5 pounds, fiber that is turned into the most luxurious garments in the world. This cashmere-like fleece, once reserved for Incan royalty, is now enjoyed by spinners and weavers around the world.

Fiber Classification:
Royal Alpaca - finer than 18 microns
Super Fine / Baby Alpaca - finer than 20 microns
Fine - finer than 25 micron
Medium - under 30 micron
Strong - 30 microns and greater
Mixed Pieces - short fibers, coarser than 32 microns - used for felting
Alpaca Fineness-Softness and Visual Texture - The fiber, soft to the touch, and with excellent appearance and natural luster, gives garments unsurpassable drape, elegance and style together with an outstanding handle.

The smaller diameters of the alpaca are the finest, and softest fleeces, resulting in the softest alpaca yarns, which in turn, make the most favorable, softest, finest clothing.  The reason the reason fineness is so important is due to its effect on a yarn's spinning limit, which means that, at any given count of yarn, the finer the fiber, the greater number of fibers in a cross section. This, in turn, leads to a more uniform yarn diameter, greater yarn strength, and greater softness of handle.

This year, Island Alpaca is very proud to have two alpaca cria with the AFD or average fiber diameter of 14.6 micron where, the Vicuna, are at about 13 micron. (the Vicuna are the  softest of all the camelids, and the closest "cousin" to the alpaca with the finest natural fiber used to manufacture garments)  To put in another perspective, the average diameter of what is termed "baby alpaca" is 22.5 micron. Most all of the cria this year, are in the 14 to 18 micron range, all, exquisitely soft. Testing was done by Yocom-Mccoll Laboratories, Inc. in Colorado.

Soft garments which can be worn next to the skin are most desirable. Cashmere and Alpaca, with its soft, seductive feel, is considered exclusive "specialty" fiber. Why is cashmere and alpaca soft and wool often itchy? Fiber fineness. Over 30% of American consumers surveyed claimed to be allergic to wool. These same people can wear cashmere or alpaca with no adverse reaction. The International Wool Secretariat and CSIRO, the Australian research organization, with its wool technology and animal production divisions, were extremely concerned by the perception that wool commonly caused allergic reactions. Extensive research has identified the cause of the allergic reactions in consumers who wore wool. The research began by administering common tests for allergic reactions. This involved grinding wool to a fine consistency, suspending it in liquid, spreading it on the allergic consumers and pricking the skin with a needle. The result was that consumers, originally thought to be allergic to wool, didn't react.

What was finally found to be the cause of this so-called allergic reaction to wool? Fiber diameter. The prickle factor was guilty; the coarser the fiber, the more severe the allergic reaction. Researchers found that coarse hairs extending from the yarn or fabric prick the skin and stimulate the pain receptors, thereby causing redness, irritation, and itching. Once fiber diameter was identified as the culprit, studies were done to decide at what mean diameter prickle occurred. Fiber that averages 21 microns or less tends to be soft to the touch. Fiber with a coarse edge over 30 microns almost always itches. Yarns that contain more than 5% fiber over 30 microns create garments that only fleas could love.

Consumers, who previously claimed to be allergic to wool, experience no negative reactions as long as the average micron count of the garment they are wearing does not exceed 21. Further research has conclusively proven that any fabric which is made of any fiber (man-made acrylic, hair from cashmere goats, etc.) averaging more than 21 microns causes pain on the skin and a so-called allergic reaction (see the attached diagram).  Alpaca is no exception. Coarse alpaca itches. Fine alpaca feels smooth and silky next to the skin. That's why fiber diameter is by far and away the most dominate value affecting fiber prices in the market today.

Special note: If you compare an alpaca fiber to a wool fiber under a microscope, you will find the surface of the alpaca fiber will be smooth where the wool fiber will appear to have scales. The lower scale height creates a smoother, slippery feel with a less scratchy surface. Alpaca has a much less prickle factor than merino wool of the same fineness due to the flatter scales on the alpaca fiber.

Thermal insulation and moisture-absorbing properties
Another interesting fact about alpaca fleece, is that alpaca fiber is hollow-cored. Their hair is more light-weight, thus providing more insulation and warmth with less weight. Hollow-cored fleece hairs are also much softer and pliable, as well as stronger. A hollow core fiber weighs less than solid core and traps a pocket of air inside it, so the fabric warms up very quickly and stays insulated longer. As a result, all outdoor enthusiasts know that apparel made from hollow core fiber tends to be light weight and warmer than their solid core equivalents. Alpaca is a natural semi-hollow fiber with a fineness that matches many of the micro-fiber synthetics. Outdoor clothes designers have invested heavily in the development of synthetic semi-hollow fiber. Unlike synthetically engineered micro-fiber, alpaca is produced by a sustainable process.

Alpaca fiber is also moisture wicking. It has a low moisture absorbency rate, with great wicking properties resulting in better comfort and warmth.

In summary, the fiber is a thermal insulator and absorbs ambient humidity, thus affording greater protection and comfort in a variety of climate.

Non-flammability - The fiber will not burn unless it is in direct contact with a flame and therefore affords the wearer greater safety

Strength and elasticity - High strength and elasticity make the fiber particularly durable
Felting - The fiber has a reduced tendency to felt and garments made from it thus maintain their new appearance and do not lose their shape.

Alpaca is Hypoallergenic
Unlike wool, alpaca fleece contains no lanolin, and requires no chemical-scouring agents for processing. This, combined with its natural hypoallergenic properties and softness, makes alpaca garments comfortable, even for sensitive skin.

*Currently the AOBA (Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association) is undergoing research and testing needed to support the intrinsic characteristics of alpaca fiber and the claims that are commonly made about alpaca fiber. Other attributes such as fineness, tensile strength, luster, and comfort factor would depend on individual fiber and the application for use. These are quality parameters, not characteristics inherent to alpaca as a fiber.  As commercial production is developed in the US, these attributes will become important to the processing industry in determining the use (and subsequent price paid) for individual lots of alpaca fiber. For purposes of AOBA, and this study, a range would be established to use as comparative marketing tools for the textile industry. Please stay tuned, as once accomplished, the test results will be presented on our site. Thank you!