Quality Fleece

Quality Fleece from Alpacas is simply just that. Alpacas produce some of the most wonderful fleece available in the world. Alpaca fiber is warm, not prickly and has no lanolin which makes it hypoallergenic.

Alpaca fleece contains microscopic air pockets that create a lightweight garment with very high insulation values. It is unusually strong and resilient. Alpaca fiber is easy to clean.

Quality fleece is dependent on the combination of several positive traits. Huacaya fleece is generally "crimpy" and grows out perpendicularly from the body. This gives the Huacaya a fluffy or teddy bear look.

Staples or locks are the first part of the fiber you notice when you look at Alpaca fleece. As you approach your animal the outside of the fiber should have a bunched or popcorn look.

Carefully part the fleece and you are able to examine the staple structure. Lock structure is the tendency for a fleece to seperate into cylindrical groups.

Staple length is the amount of fiber that can be produced in a given amount of time. Your Alpaca's fleece should grow between 3 to 6 inches per year. Alapcas produce less fiber as they age.

Coverage refers to the parts of the Alpaca's body that is covered by fiber. The blanket or back fiber is considered prime quality fleece. The neck, belly and legs are secondary fiber. Fleece amount can vary from 2 to 12 pounds per year per animal. Alpaca fiber is sold by the ounce.

Density is the number of hair follicles per area of skin. To check density part the fleece and see how much skin can be seen at the roots. Very dense fleece will show a very thin line of skin when parted. The resistance the fiber offers when parted or pushed down also shows density.

Hand is the subjective feel of a fleece. Grab a hand full of fleece along the blanket to see how much fleece you can grasp with your hand. This method is best reserved for experienced herd owners. It can be misleading as coarse fibers will fill up your hand more than fine fibers. Coarse fibers also offer more resistance.

The finer the fleece the softer the feel. Fineness can be measured in microns. A sample of your animals fleece can be sent to a testing agency for fiber analysis. The report that is received from the testing agency will give you the average fiber diameter. The smaller the number the finer the fleece.

Many things can affect the fineness of the fleece. It is thought that an Alpaca's fiber will increase an average of 2 points per year until the age of 4 or 5.

The location where the fiber is taken can also affect the result of the test. Your sample should be 2 inches wide by 2 inches in length and taken from the middle of the side of the Alpaca.

Royal Alpaca fleece is less than 18 microns. Superfine or baby fleece is 18 to 20 microns. Fine fiber is 20 to 24.9, medium 25 to 29.9, and strong or coarse is greater than 30 microns.

It is important to look at the big picture when looking at micron counts to determine quality fleece. Samples of baby fleece may not mean much. Samples taken after 1 year and up to 5 years are important.

Having a fine fiber with a low micron count is not the whole picture. A heavy consistant fleece with good weight can be more important than a low micron count with half the weight.

Diet can affect fineness as well as the rate of fiber growth. A sudden change in diet may "blow-out" a fleece until the animal becomes adjusted to the diet.

Hormonal influences such as pregnancy or testosterone can also affect fiber fineness. Males are thought to have coarser fiber than females. Gelded males are finer than breeding males.

Luster is the shine produced when light is reflected back off of the fiber. Luster is desireable in all fleece.

Crimp refers to the waves or ripples in a group of fibers. If the crimp style is consistant throughout the blanket it is deemed to be uniform.

Crimp can have a high or low frequency which refers to the number of crimps per inch. The style of the crimp is less important than the uniformity of the crimp.

Six specific characteristics are considered when a fleece is judged in a show. Fineness and handle carries the most weight along with pounds of clean annual fleece weight.

Quality fleece has good crimp, brightness and lack of medullation or gaurd hair Uniformity of micron, length and color are considered when examining fiber. And finally lock type and density along with impurities, stain, and/or fleece damage is considered.

Color, fineness, weight and coverage are all very inheritable qualities of Alpaca fleece. These are important characteristics of fiber that must be considered in the breeding program of a herd.

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