* F I B E R

Alpaca fiber is long, fine, and without grease. Alpaca fiber is shinier, smoother, stronger and several times warmer than wool. It is also heavier and less elastic than wool. Alpaca fiber diameter ranges greatly, with baby alpaca being 22.5-23.5 microns, superfine alpaca being 25.5-26.5 microns and adult alpaca being 32.5-34 microns. It comes in 22 distinct colors. It is easily dyed while still retaining its natural luster. Peace of Yarn is pleased to supply both Baby Suri Alpaca Top and Baby Huacaya Alpaca Top. Suri alpaca fiber is silky with a wonderful luster. It flows straight down the animal in shiny locks with very little crimp. Huacaya alpaca fiber grows out of the animal in a puffier look and has more crimp. Baby Alpaca in the past has been very difficult for hand spinners to find at a reasonable price and in the form of combed top. Baby Alpaca has an approximate micron of 22.5, which is approximately 4 microns softer than Superfine Alpaca, which leads to a much softer yarn. Peace of Yarn currently offers Baby Suri Alpaca Top in two colors: Creamy White and Light Chestnut; and Baby Huacaya Alpaca Top in four natural colors: Creamy White, Pacific Sand, Deep Chestnut and Very Black.

* A L P A C A S

Alpacas are members of the camelid family and originate in the Andes mountains in South America. There are two types, Suri and Huacaya; Suris are much rarer than Huacayas comprising only about 10% of the alpaca population. Alpacas are much smaller than llamas, standing about 3 feet tall and weighing about 100-180 pounds. Alpacas are delicate in appearance with a gentle disposition. They are a one coated animal (lacking the guard hair that most llamas have) and grow about 5-8 pounds of fiber a year, at a rate of about 3.5 inches per year. Their gestation period is 335 days, and females normally give birth once a year to a baby (cria) that weighs 10-19 pounds. Their life span is about 15-20 years.

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