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About Alpacas
 Originating in the Andes of South America, Alpacas came to North American and the United States in the early 1980's. The first alpacas were imported to the United States in 1983. Over the last two decades, the North American herd has grown from a few thousand to more then 60,000.
Alpacas are intelligent and easily trained animals, and gentle enough to be handled by children. They hum when pleased or happy and spit when they are not. They make very good pets and companion animals, but don't like being alone. Alpacas are also easy to care for, and gentle on pastures with their hoof-padded feet.
Alpacas come in many different colors, the most popular being white, black, brown, rose, silver, or even spotted, and in many color combinations. Alpacas are able to withstand cold temperatures because of their dense fleece.
This fleece is more than just for warmth though, it is one of the primary purposes for raising alpacas. Their fleece can most closely be compared to cashmere.
Alpaca fiber:
- is extremely fine with little guard hair.
- has less prickle factor than most other animals.
- is compatible with either the woolen or worsted manufacturing systems.
- has excellent insulative for thermal qualities.
- has a rich silky sheen which has high visual appeal in the apparel
industry.
- is 30% warmer than the same weight of Merino wool.
- is 4 times more abrasion resistant than Merino wool .
- is stronger than wool and does not pill in the better quality animals.
- contains no grease, lanolin and does not smell.
- is bulky but will spring back when squashed.
- does not retain water and can resist solar radiation.
- does not shrink when washed.
- comes in 22 different colors.
- is lightweight and incredibly soft.
- is rare – supply cannot keep up with demand for fine quality fleece.
- can be carded and blended with other natural fibers.
- can be easily dyed any color without losing its sheen.
Alpacas are also a great business opportunity. If cared for and marketed well, huge profits can be made. Marketing plays a huge role in a successful alpaca farm. Currently the majority of alpaca owners use the internet to market their animals. Pricing reflects each alpaca's breeding potential and the quality of their future offspring. Ancestry, previous progeny, and the quality of the animal's fiber can predict this potential.
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