Why Alpaca?
When people come to visit us here at Alpacas of Easton, a few of the first questions that they ask us are, “Why alpaca? Why are they so special? Why are they so expensive?” So, first of all, we answer them with, “we fell in love with them because they are special animals, see?” And then we have to follow up with a little bit of history….
Alpacas were the domestic cattle of South America---perhaps the world’s
first domestic animal. They were the foundation of prosperous civilizations
in the Andean Mountains. It was their fiber that was suited to clothe the
people living high up in the Altiplano.
As a result, the alpaca was considered legal tender among the Indian population.
In 1984, the first alpacas were imported to the United States from Chile
and Bolivia. In 1993, the first Peruvian alpacas made the trip.
Alpaca fleece is extremely valuable, and because of its amazing thermal
qualities, it is an ideal fiber. Alpaca is found naturally in 22 distinct
colors, and can then be blended to produce hundreds of more different colors.
Their fiber is unusually strong and resilient, and its strength does not
become compromised as it gets finer. Due to the evolution of the alpacas
in the high Altiplano, where the weather is extremely cold, alpaca fiber
has more thermal capacity than most other animals. Each fiber is filled
with tiny pockets of air, giving it a high insulation value. Alpaca fiber
is soft, supple and smooth to the touch, giving it a very nice feel. It
is easily dyed into many different colors and it does not easily tear, pill,
stain or create static. Another positive trait is that it is easier and
less expensive to process than wool due to its lack of grease and lanolin.
Many who are allergic to wool can wear alpaca because it does not contain
the lanolin that causes some people to itch.
So, you decide for yourself, why alpacas are special---is it their luxurious
fiber, or is it just the serene calm that you feel when you are in their
presence?
Come
visit us and find out!