“FIBRE OF THE GODS”

The UK Alpaca industry is a fibre industry and alpacas are shorn once a year for their fleece. 

Alpacas produce a luxurious natural fibre in a range of colours, from white through fawns and browns to black. Unlike sheep’s wool, alpaca does not need to be dyed to make a finished product as it is already a beautiful colour. 

The minimum lanolin content in the fibre means no harsh chemicals are needed in the washing process, producing garments that are hypoallergenic and environmentally friendly. 

There are so many great things about alpaca fibre that I don’t know where to start! It is long (easy to use), strong (stronger than merino), wonderfully soft (just get your hands on some and have a feel), silky and naturally bright and shiny. As well as all this, it produces lightweight garments that are incredibly warm, wick moisture away, have a high resistance to pilling and can be worn right next to the skin without being itchy. Environmentally and animal friendly – unlike the competition from cashmere, angora and mohair – alpaca is highly sought after.

An average alpaca produces 2.4kg of fibre per annum, with some producing up to 6kg. Density, fineness and uniformity are the key characteristics for a good, valuable fleece. Demand is huge, with alpaca being seen on high fashion catwalks and estimates saying that only 21% of worldwide demand for alpaca fibre is being met.Alpaca fibre is:

• Stronger and warmer than merino wool.

• Softer and lighter than cashmere.

• Naturally bright and has a silk-like shine.

• Hypoallergenic because of the minimum lanolin content and lack of chemical dye.

Unlike merino wool, angora, mohair and cashmere, alpaca comes in a natural range of colours from white through fawn and all shades of brown to the much sought after true black. In addition to this the minimum lanolin content in the fibre means alpaca garments are hypoallergenic, along with being lightweight yet warm and naturally moisture wicking.

Only a tiny percentage of worldwide demand for alpaca fibre is currently being met, hence the large growth in breeding stock numbers.

Breeding programmes concentrate on the density, fineness and uniformity of the fleece, and other attributes to look at are the handle, crimp and length of the fibres.

Alpaca fleece is highly sought after for various reasons, making it a popular choice in the textile industry.

For us, what really sets alpaca apart from the traditional fine fibres is the fact that it does not need to be dyed.

Black alpaca is the only natural fibre that is this true jet black – “black” sheep are actually just a very dark brown – so alpaca has no competition.  

This means every single black garment you have ever seen has been chemically dyed, unless it is alpaca.  

No requirement for dye means you can produce a hypoallergenic garment that does not fade over time. Combine this with all the other attributes of alpaca fibre, and the fact that it is produced here in Britain with none of the animal welfare or environmental concerns that usually come along with super-soft, fine fibres, and you can start to understand why black alpacas are so valuable.