The Alpaca

The Alpaca (Lama Pacos) is one of the members of the family of South American cameloids, and is raised mainly in the Peruvian Andes at altitudes exceeding 4000 metres, where the diurnal temperature variation reaches 30°C. The 3.5 million Alpacas in Peru represent 75% of their world population, and are the main resource for survival to thousands of Andean families.

The Alpaca is first shaved at the age of one and a half, and this first shaving yields the noble Baby Alpaca fibre. Afterwards the animal is shaved at roughly 1.5-year intervals between November and March when ambient temperatures are favourable. These shavings yield the Alpaca fibre.

Alpacas yield fibres in 22 natural colours, in a range from black to white with grey and brown tones. None of the other animal species producing natural noble fibres possess this quality.

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