Alpaca has been a must-have item ever since Sir Titus Salt introduced it to the UK market in around 1836.  The story goes that he found alpaca by accident, whilst checking a delivery of bales of sheep’s wool on a ship, he noticed some bales of an unknown fibre that was being used merely as ballast in a ships hull.  Being in the textile trade he instantly recognised the qualities and potential of this fibre which he had by then found out was alpaca fibre all the way from South America. He acquired the ballast bales and took it to his mills to experiment with, and successfully produced high quality fine yarn. From these humble beginnings alpaca fibre has found its way into high fashion clothing.  At his mill in Saltaire, near Bradford in West Yorkshire, UK, there is a statue of Sir Titus Salt along with alpacas at the base of the statue.

 

Alpaca coats, gowns and materials were very fashionable during Queen Victoria's reign – in fact they were so prized and so hardwearing that they were bequeathed in the wills of the deceased to the next generations.  Sir Titus became the largest employer in Bradford, West Yorkshire, building the model industrial village of Saltaire in 1851 on the back of this success.

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Another trait of alpaca fibre is that it is a very dry fibre with a minimum lanolin content which means it does not need to be scoured prior to spinning.  It can be spun into yarn straight from the fleece and is often washed at the hank (a coiled bundle of yarn) stage of processing.

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At its finest, alpaca fibre can get as low as 15-16 microns (a measurement of the fibre s diameter).  It has been described as a ‘hard-wearing’ cashmere, which, at its finest can be used like cashmere to produce high quality, luxury garments in both the woollen process for knitwear and weaving, or in the worsted process which produces fine suiting materials.

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The fibre from the huacaya alpaca (look a bit like teddy bears when in full fleece) is more suited to the woollen process and the fibre from the suri alpaca (look like long necked Rastafarian sheep!) Is a lot like silk and better suited to the worsted process. Suri fibre is so fine that it has been used to produce women’s lingerie.... oooh lala, who knew! 

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However, on a global scale, alpaca fibre production is still very small operating as a niche market. To give you some idea, there is roughly three million kg of alpaca fibre produced in South America each year year, yet this only represents just 0.04% of all the global fibres processed in any given year. Clearly there is a lot of work to be done to improve global supply and get this fantastic fibre into the commercial market in volume.

 

The average alpaca produces around 2.4 kg of alpaca fibre per annum, with some having the potential to produce around 4–6 kg per annum. This is where careful alpaca breeding comes into play.  It’s important to consider the conformation and fleece traits present in your breeding female and then look at any potential stud male to establish what traits he might pass onto the cria.

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A brief overview of the key properties of alpaca fibre:

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• Exceptionally soft due to low scale relief (Suri scale relief is even lower than Huacaya). This gives alpaca its famous silky, soft feeling, or 'handle'.
   

• Very fine fibre diameter - well-bred animals can now reach the 13 micron mark.
   

• Fine grades of alpaca fibre have a 'low prickle factor, 'which means product made from alpaca fibre are  to comfortable wear and smooth, next-to-skin.
   

• Water repellent properties mean that alpaca clothing remains comfortable even when damp – it absorbs up to 20% of its weight in water with no negative sensation for the wearer.
   

• Moisture wicking. For accessories like luxury socks, alpaca moves the wearer’s perspiration away from the skin, resulting in long, comfortable wear.
   

• Non-irritating and hypoallergenic. People who can’t  wear wool next-to-skin often find fine alpaca very comfortable. Lanolin in sheep’s wool can trigger allergic reactions leading to discomfort. However,  Alpaca has virtually no lanolin and thus, feels more comfortable for more people.
   

• Thermal properties. The warmest garments available to luxury consumers today are made from alpaca. If you live in a bitterly cold climate, nothing keeps you warmer. Besides being warm in winter, alpaca is cool in summer – particularly blends made with alpaca.
   

• Lightweight. The tremendously light and airy feeling of alpaca makes its incredible thermic qualities unbelievable. Designers can use fancy stitches such as cable knit with no fear of heaviness.
   

• Wide range of natural colors. Available in at least 22 natural colors with white dyeable to any color. This makes natural alpaca a perfect ready-made candidate for eco-lines of yarn, textiles and garments.

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• Anti-static. This allows manufacturing to go smoother and clothes to drape with less cling.
   

• Flame-resistant. Alpaca can be used in such garments as infant pajamas, which benefit from flame retardant qualities. When tested with an open flame, alpaca will not burn.
   

• Less lanolin. Less lanolin means shorter scouring cycles with the opportunity to use eco-friendly soaps in manufacturing.
   

• Shine. The shiny quality of Huacaya fibre is referred to as brightness while the shiny quality of Suri fibre is called luster. In both types, this very beautiful side effect is the result of low scale relief.
   

• Feltable. Alpaca felt is readily and can be used for both practical projects like airplane panel sound-deadeners and for artistic pursuits. Many contemporary artists use alpaca fibre in textile art.
   

• Durable. Alpaca has one of the highest resistance factors of all natural fibres, which is ideal for practical items that must endure hard use. Super baby alpaca is just as soft as cashmere but has much more tensile strength. A human hair’s resilience is rated at 100, wool is 122.8 and mohair is 136. Alpaca, however, is rated at 358.5.
   

• Wrinkle resistant. Allows garments to drape beautifully and wear neatly all day.
   

• Blendable. Alpaca pairs wonderfully with both natural and synthetic fibres, thus multiplying its usefulness in the textile world almost infinitely. A distinct benefit alpaca brings to other fibres is its added softness.

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Today, many UK breeders process their own alpaca fibre and sell the yarns and products direct to the public and are making and selling all kinds of alpaca products, ranging from insoles for boots and wellingtons with coarser fibre, to babywear and exclusive luxury fashion items at the other extreme.

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At Abberley Alpacas we are processing our herd's beautiful fibre and transforming it into handwoven products.