Alpaca fiber

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alpaca fleece, Wool Expo, Armidale, NSW

Yarn spun from alpaca wool.

Alpaca scarf. Cambridge Food, Garden and Produce Festival, England

Alpaca fleece is the natural fiber harvested from an alpaca. It is light or heavy in weight,
depending on how it is spun. It is a soft, durable, luxurious [1] and silky natural fiber. While
similar to sheeps wool, it is warmer, not prickly, and has no lanolin, which makes
it hypoallergenic.[1][2] Alpaca is naturally water-repellent and difficult to ignite. [3]Huacaya, an
alpaca that grows soft spongy fiber, has natural crimp, thus making a naturally elastic yarn
well-suited for knitting. Suri has no crimp and thus is a better fit for woven goods. The designer
Armani has used Suri alpaca to fashion men's and women's suits.[4] Alpaca fleece is made into

various products, from very simple and inexpensive garments made by the indigenous
communities to sophisticated, industrially made and expensive products such as suits. In the
United States, groups of smaller alpaca breeders have banded together to create "fiber coops," to make the manufacture of alpaca fiber products less expensive.
The preparing, carding, spinning, weaving and finishing process of alpaca is very similar to the
process used for wool.
Contents
[hide]

1Alpacas
o

1.1Types

1.2History
1.2.1History of fiber industry

2Fiber structure
2.1Medullation

3Quality

4Dyeing

5Uses

6See also

7References

8External links

Alpacas[edit]
Types[edit]

Suri alpaca

There are two types of alpaca: Huacaya (which produce a dense, soft, crimpy sheep-like fiber),
and the Suri (with silky pencil-like locks, resembling dreadlocks but without matted fibers).
Suris, prized for their longer and silkier fibers, are estimated to make up 1920% of the North
American alpaca population.[5] Since its import into the United States, the number of Suri
alpacas has grown substantially and become more color diverse. The Suri is thought to be
rarer, most likely because the breed was reserved for royalty during Incan times.[6] Suris are
often said to be less cold hardy than Huacaya, but both breeds are successfully raised in more
extreme climates. They were developed in South America.

History[edit]
Alpacas have been bred in South America for thousands of years. Vicuas were first
domesticated and bred into alpacas by the ancient tribes of the Andean highlands of Peru,
Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. Two-thousand-year-old Paracas textiles are thought to include
alpaca fiber.[7] Also known as "The Fiber of the Gods", Alpaca was used to make clothing for
royalty.[8] In recent years, alpacas have also been exported to other countries. In countries such
as the USA, Australia and New Zealand, breeders shear their animals annually, weigh the
fleeces and test them for fineness. With the resulting knowledge, they are able to breed
heavier-fleeced animals with finer fiber. Fleece weights vary, with the top stud males reaching
annual shear weights up to 7 kg total fleece and 3 kg good quality fleece. The discrepancy in
weight is because an alpaca has guard hair, which is often removed before spinning.
History of fiber industry[edit]
The Amerindians of Peru used this fiber in the manufacture of many styles of fabrics for
thousands of years before its introduction into Europe as a commercial product. The alpaca
was a crucial component of ancient life in the Andes, as it provided not only warm clothing, but
also meat.
Incan culture involved the alpaca, as well as llamas and guanacos, in ritual sacrifice. Methods
of killing the beasts varied based on the god receiving the sacrifice, the festival during which it
took place, and even the color of the animal's fur. One method involved slitting open the
animal's left side and reaching inside the chest cavity to remove the heart. [9]
The first European importations of alpaca fiber were into Spain. Spain transferred that fiber
to Germany and France. Apparently, alpaca yarn was spun in England for the first time about
the year 1808, but the fiber was condemned as an unworkable material. In 1830, Benjamin

Outram, of Greetland, near Halifax, appears to have reattempted spinning it, and again it was
condemned. These two attempts failed due to the style of fabric into which the yarn was woven
a type of camlet. With the introduction of cottonwarps into Bradford trade about 1836, the
true qualities of alpaca could be assessed as it was developed into fabric. It is not known
where the cotton warp and mohair or alpaca weft plain-cloth came from, but it was this simple
and ingenious structure which enabled Titus Salt, then a young Bradford manufacturer, to use
alpaca successfully. Bradford is still the great spinning and manufacturing center for alpaca.
Large quantities of yarns and cloths are exported annually to the European continent and the
US, although the quantities vary with the fashions in vogue. The typical "alpaca fabric" is a very
characteristic "dress fabric."[10]

A pair of Huacaya alpacas near an Inca burial site in Peru

Due to the successful manufacture of various alpaca cloths by Sir Titus Salt and other Bradford
manufacturers, a great demand for alpaca wool arose, which could not be met by the native
product. Apparently, the number of alpacas available never increased appreciably.
Unsuccessful attempts were made to acclimatize alpaca in England, on the European
continent and in Australia, and even to cross English breeds of sheep with alpaca. There is a
cross between alpaca and llamaa true hybrid in every senseproducing a material placed
upon the Liverpool market under the name "Huarizo". Crosses between the alpaca and vicua
have not proved satisfactory, as the crosses that have produced offspring have a very short
fleece, more characteristic of the vicua.[10] Current attempts to cross these two breeds are
underway at farms in the US. Alpacas are now being bred in the US, Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, UK, and numerous other places.
In recent years, interest in alpaca fiber clothing has surged, perhaps partly because alpaca
ranching has a reasonably low impact on the environment. Individual U.S. farms are producing
finished alpaca products like hats, mitts, scarves, socks, insoles, footwarmers, sweaters,
jackets, as well as almost any other product. Outdoor sports enthusiasts recognize its lighter
weight and better warmth provides them more comfort in colder weather. Using an alpaca and
wool blend such as merino is common to the alpaca fiber industry to improve processing and
the qualities of the final product.[11]
In December 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 2009 to be
the International Year of Natural Fibres, so as to raise the profile of alpaca and other natural
fibers.

Fiber structure[edit]
Alpaca fiber is similar in structure to sheep wool fiber. Its softness comes from having a
different smoother scale surface than sheep wool. American breeders have enhanced the
softness by selecting for finer fiber diameter fiber, similar to merino wool. Fiber diameter is a
highly inherited trait in both alpaca and sheep. The difference in the individual fiber scales
compared to sheep wool also creates the glossy shine which is prized in alpaca. Alpaca fibers
have a higher tensile strength than wool fibers. In processing, slivers lack fiber cohesion and

single alpaca rovings lack strength. Blend these together and the durability is increased
several times over. More twisting is necessary, especially in Suri, and this can reduce a yarn's
softness.[11]
The alpaca has a very fine and light fleece. It does not retain water, is thermal even when wet
and can resist solar radiation effectively. These characteristics guarantee the animals a
permanent and appropriate coat to protect against extreme changes of temperature. [12] This
fiber offers the same protection to humans.

Medullation[edit]
Medullated fibers are fibers with a central core, which may be continuous, interrupted, or
fragmented. Here, the cortical cells that make up the walls of the fiber, are wrapped around a
medulla, or core, that is made up of another type of cell (called medullary cells). Later, these
cells may contract or disappear, forming air pockets which assist insulation. [13]
Medullation can be an objectionable trait. Medullated fibers can take less dye, standing out in
the finished garment, and are weaker. The proportion of medullated fibers is higher in the
coarser, unwanted guard hairs: there is less or no medullation in the finer, lower micrometer
fibers.[14][15] These undesirable fibers are easy to see and give a garment a hairy appearance.
Quality alpaca products should be free from these medullated fibers.

Quality[edit]
Good quality alpaca fiber is approximately 18 to 25 micrometers in diameter.[1] While breeders
report fiber can sell for US$2 to 4 per ounce, the world wholesale price for processed, spun
alpaca tops is only between about $10 to $24/kg (according to quality), i.e. about $0.28 to
$0.68 per oz.[16] Finer fleeces, ones with a smaller diameter, are preferred, and thus are more
expensive. As an alpaca gets older, the diameter of the fibers gets thicker, between 1 m and 5
m per year. This is sometimes caused by overfeeding; as excess nutrients are converted to
(thicker) fiber rather than to fat.[citation needed]
Elite alpaca breeders in the United States are attempting to breed animals with fleece that
does not degrade in quality as the animals age. They are looking for lingering fineness (fiber
diameters remaining under 20micrometers) for aging animals. It is believed this lingering
fineness is heritable and thus can be improved more and more over time.
As with all fleece-producing animals, quality varies from animal to animal, and some alpacas
produce fiber which is less than ideal. Fiber and conformation are the two most important
factors in determining an alpaca's value.
Alpacas come in 22 natural colors, with more than 300 shades from a true-blue black through
browns-black, browns, fawns, white, silver-greys, and rose-greys.[1] However, white is
predominant,[1] because ofselective breeding: the white fiber can be dyed in the largest ranges
of colors. In South America, the preference is for white, as they generally have better fleece
than the darker-colored animals. The demand for darker fiber have sprung up in the United
States and elsewhere, though, to reintroduce the colors, but the quality of the darker fiber has
decreased slightly. Breeders have been diligently working on breeding dark animals with
exceptional fiber, and much progress has been made over the last few years. [citation needed]

Dyeing[edit]
Before dyeing, the alpaca fiber must go through other stages:
1. Selection of wool, according to color, size and quality of fiber

2. "Escarminado", removal of grass, dirt, thorns, and other impurities

3. Washing, to remove all the dirt and grease
4. Spinning
Once the fiber is clean, it is possible to begin the process of dyeing.
To dye 1 kg of alpaca wool with cochinilla (natural dye),
1. Boil 5 liters of water in an aluminum can with 100 g of cochinilla for an hour.
2. Sift and put the fiber in the water.
3. Boil again for an hour and add 50 lemons cut in halves.
4. Then take out the wool and hang for drying.
Note: For dyeing with another natural dye (native plants), add 2 kg of the products to the water
and boil.

Uses[edit]
Alpaca fiber is used for many purposes, including making clothing such as bedding, hats, mitts,
scarves, gloves, and jumpers. Rugs and toys can also be made from alpaca fiber. Sweaters
are most common.[citation needed]

See also[edit]

International Year of Natural Fibres

References[edit]
1.

^ Jump up to:a b c d e Quiggle, Charlotte. "Alpaca: An Ancient Luxury." Interweave

Knits Fall 2000: 74-76.

2.

Jump up^ Stoller, Debbie, Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet, New York: Workman, 2006, p. 18.

3.

Jump up^ "Alpaca." 22 April 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. 19 July 2009.

4.

Jump up^ "ProperFashion.com". ProperFashion.com. Retrieved 2013-11-09.

5.

Jump up^ "Alpaca Registry". Alpaca Registry. 2007-05-01.

6.

Jump up^ Fowler, Murray (1998). Medicine and Surgery of South American Camelids.
Wiley-Blackwell. p. 3. ISBN 978-0-8138-0397-5.

7.

Jump up^ Paracas Textiles, British Museum, accessed 27 September 2010

8.

Jump up^ "Alpaca | URBANARA Buying Guide". Urbanara.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-1109.

9.

Jump up^ Besom, Thomas (2009). Of Summits and Sacrifice: An Ethnohistoric Study
of Inka Religious Practices. University of Texas Press. p. 96. Retrieved 2016-03-28.

10.

^ Jump up to:a b "Alpaca". The New Encyclopdia Britannica. 11th ed. 1911.

11.

^ Jump up to:a b The Quality and Processing Performance of Alpaca Fibres Australian
Government RIRDC 2003

12.
13.

14.
15.

16.

Jump up^ http://www.aia.org.pe/aia.html?32>

Jump up^ J. Villarroel, presumably A study of alpaca fibre, University of N.S.W., 1959,
as cited in Crying over spilt onions? (Published in Australian Alpacas, Autumn, 2004)
Jump up^ "Davison/Holt 2004" (PDF). Retrieved 2013-11-09.
Jump up^ Fiber Characteristics of U.S. Huacaya Alpacas by Angus McColl, YocomMcColl Testing Laboratories, Inc., Chris Lupton, Texas A&M University System, and Bob
Stobart, University of Wyoming 2004
Jump up^ "Alpha Tops". Alpha Tops. Retrieved 2013-11-09.

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh,
ed. (1911). "Alpaca". Encyclopdia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.