Suri and Huacaya: Understanding Alpacas

by Matthew Barker⁽¹⁵⁾

Curled and crimpled texture when looking up close, the huacaya looks like a stuffed animal thanks to their fluffy wool. Both types have their own defining characteristics, and we will look at the fibres of both to determine which is which.

Although huacaya wool naturally possesses more than 20 different shades, its coarse textures allow its fibres to hold dye well. It also holds the advantage of being able to be easily woven because of the way the wool curls. These qualities make huacaya alpacas more favourable for producing wool that will be used for clothing and other items.

What suri alpaca fur lacks in commercial utility, it makes up for in lustre. These alpacas are far rarer -- some estimates say that they make up the equivalent of five per cent of the total number of huacayas. However, their scarcity only makes their fur even more of a find--unlike the coarse fibres of a huacaya, suri alpacas exhibit a longer, smoother strand that is less often used exclusively for clothing and accessories because it is more challenging (and more expensive) to work with. For alpaca farmers, suris may warrant more work because their fur should be kept at no longer than five inches to ensure quality and commercial appeal.

Most times, this kind of alpaca fur has to be blended with more durable huacaya fur or sheep's wool. However, the more suri wool an item contains, the more expensive it is likely to be, placing suri fur near the top of the scale of quality natural fibres. The alpaca types both have advantages and farmers are cross breeding the huacaya and suri in order to have better wool materials that can be marketed a lot better.

There are many characteristics or qualities that need to be consider if consumers are looking to purchase alpaca fleece items. For example, many consumers prefer 100 per cent raw fibre, which means that the fur has not been washed or processed in any way. If you choose to purchase only raw fibre, you may want to hand wash it gently using a dish detergent, taking care not to wring the material and then air dry the fabric. Crimp is a great quality to look at before alpaca fibre purchasing. Most people find that more crimp correlates to fabrics having a softer touch.

If you are lucky enough to purchase alpaca fibre from a vendor who knows the exact source of the wool, you should also ask from which part of the animal the fur was taken. The highest quality fur is usually found on the upper sides or "shoulders" of the animal and also from the torso area. These fibres are referred to as the "blanket." Learning about the fibres of alpaca is important so that you can recognise fabric of a higher quality when you search these things.

The market of fair trade alpaca continues to grow, and this means that knowledge of the different types is becoming a need to know piece of information. Find your fair trade knitwear online today with a shop that offers the best deals.

Article submitted Friday, February 17, 2012 & read 2 times.

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