Llama’s are much bigger than their alpaca cousins. They are bred primarily as pack animals. They have coarser fibre. They are much bigger than alpacas weighing in at up to 250kg. They are much taller standing 6 t o7 ft at the head and have more-elongated faces with funny banana shaped ears.
Llama’s give the alpacas the bad rep of spitting as they are more crankier than alpacas.
Camels are another level up of crankiness.

Llamas have two coats of fibre an outer longer coarser coat and an inner finer coat.

The post What is the difference between an Alpaca & a Llama? appeared first on K2Alpacas.

Alpacas are one of the camelid species, closely related to the llama. There are four species of South American camelid – Llamas (Lama glama) and alpacas (Vicugna pacos) are domesticated and vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) and guanaco (Lama guanicoe) remain wild and are protected species. All four are found mainly in Peru in the Andes, with smaller numbers in Chile and Bolivia.

It is believed that the alpaca and the llama were domesticated from the wild species vicuna and guanaco over 6000 years ago. The alpaca was developed primarily as a fleece producing animal with meat as a secondary product.

Huacaya alpaca

The huacaya appearance is due to its fibre growing vertically out of its skin in small bundles with a tight crimped wave which makes the fleece sit vertically off the skin giving it a ‘Teddy Bear’ look. The huacaya fibre is more akin to a woollen process of manufacture.

Suri Alpaca

The suri appearance is due to its fibre growing out of the skin in bundles/locks without any crimped wave. This makes the suri locks twist and hang down along the flank of the alpaca giving it an appearance much like a Wensleydale sheep. The suri fibre at its best is akin to silk and lends itself to the worsted process of manufacture. It is seeing increasing use in men’s suiting and coats.

The post What are alpacas? appeared first on K2Alpacas.

The post Alpaca Yarn appeared first on K2Alpacas.

Alpaca Wool is called fibre because of it’s a hollow structure. It is this feature that gives it its extraordinary thermal regulating properties which keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Shorn once a year, alpacas give you a fabulous sustainable fibre which can be converted into yarn and cloth.

• Alpaca fibre is a lot lighter than sheep wool but three times warmer. Its overall quality and characteristics are superior to sheep and goats wool.
• The highest resistance factors of all-natural fibres, this coupled with a very high tensile strength, makes alpaca extremely durable. However, this does not detract from the softness of alpaca.
• Wrinkles minimally, so garments can be worn all day and will travel well. It has a beautiful drape and minimal static which decreases the “cling” of a garment.
• Flame resistant and will not burn, hence the possibilities for children’s clothes and accessories as well as industrial applications.
• Water repellent which allows alpaca outerwear to remain comfortable even if damp.
• Moisture wicking properties which make it ideal for active wear garments, luxury socks, undergarments and extreme weather clothing. Alpaca fibre wicks perspiration away from the skin allowing for a longer and more comfortable wear.
• Blends wonderfully with both natural and synthetic fibres, thus multiplying its usefulness in the textile world almost infinitely.
• Non-irritating and hypoallergenic qualities of the fibre make alpaca a great choice for people who cannot wear other natural fibres close to their skin.
• Lustre is created in alpaca fleece by the ability of the fibre to absorb and reflect light. The lustre of alpaca fibre is not man made, it is a natural attribute of fleece and can be seen from the base to the tip of the fibre.
• Environmentally Friendly with a Low Carbon Footprint. Alpaca fibre requires minimal scouring and uses Eco-friendly processes. It comes in 22 natural colours and alpacas are the only fibre producing animal to produce true black. This makes natural alpaca a perfect ready-made candidate for Eco-lines of yarn, textiles and garments. Alpaca takes dye well and this extends the colour palette even further for textile production.

The post Alpaca Fibre appeared first on K2Alpacas.