Alpaca Breeder, Cresta Viento Alpacas, New Zealand

Fibre

Alpaca is the King of fibres. In fact the Incas, who first bred alpaca, considered it to be the “fibre of the gods,” and only the Inca ruling class were permitted to wear garments made of alpaca. Alpaca goods were the ultimate trading currency.

Alpaca fibre is soft with a silky lustre and comfort, similar to the finest merino or cashmere. The long staple length makes it ideal for spinning and with a micron of around 20 it is super-soft against your skin.

Alpaca fibre is warm, light-wearing and incredibly tough, with the hollow fibres providing excellent insulating properties - the potential of which has not yet been utilised fully. Alpaca is 30 percent warmer than the same weight merino garment and is four times more abrasion resistant than merino, and is non-allergenic!

It’s highly sought after in the United States, Europe and Asia for quality knitwear and textiles and New Zealand’s fledgling industry can not yet match the demand from overseas.

There is a range of 22 natural colours of alpaca fibre from a true blue-black to silver grey, rose grey, browns and fawns to apricot, and the purest white. White alpaca fibre is very versatile as it can be dyed any shade, taking and retaining bright, pure colours, and it can be blended with either wool or silk for an infinite number of uses. Its fibre structure is smoother than wool, enhancing its natural lustre.

Alpaca fibre is available in New Zealand in carded slivers suitable for felting or spinning, or ready-spun either natural, died, or blended with other fibres for knitting and craft-work.

Cresta Viento Alpacas fibre

Improving fleece quality has been the aim of alpaca breeder Linley Yeoman from the start of her alpaca breeding programme. She has consistently selected quality alpaca breeding sires from the best lines in New Zealand to improve the micron, lustre and handle of each generation. She uses alpaca sires with the qualities of SRS® and is a registered SRS® alpaca breeder.

Young Cresta Viento Alpacas average less than 20 micron, with the top fleeces at 16 micron for the first shear and less than 20 micron at the second shear. Cresta Viento Alpacas fibre is available for sale; carded for felting or spinning; in balls for knitting; or as unique, hand-crafted products for sale.