Alpacas

Peru is home to the most significant percentage of alpacas in the world. Alpacas are gentle, timid animals. There are an estimated 5 million alpacas in South America, and 95% are found in the southern regions of Peru.

From high in the Peruvian Andes comes one of the finest luxury fibres in the world, ALPACA. Alpacas are members of the camelid family, including llamas, guanaco and vicuna. Alpaca fibre is so soft and delicate that it was once reserved only for Incan royalty. There is only one species of alpaca but two fleece types or breeds, Huacaya (wuh kai ya) and Suri (sur ee).

It is the predominant species of Alpaca and offers the widest variety of natural colours.

They have wavy, crimpy, lofty fleece, giving it a woolly appearance. This Huacaya alpaca constitutes around 90% of the alpaca population in Peru.

The Suri Alpaca is less common than the Huacaya, representing only 10% of the population. Suri alpacas have long, straight, silky and lustrous wool, which is used for high-end designs. Suri alpacas are much rarer and more expensive. The fibre of the alpaca Suri is ideal for making long-pile fabrics.