The Alpaca is a domestic animal from our Andes. It is a camelidae belongs to the auchenidi family and has one of the finest hair of the world.

There are 2 breeds, the Suri, which has a long and silky hair, and the Huacayo which has a shorter hair but an unusual fineness.

When we talk about fineness of hair, we consider that this is measured in a special measurement unit called MICRON which is equivalent to one thousandth of milimeter. The fineness of the alpaca hair is running between 20 and 36 MICRONS, thus, this is more fine and softer when it measures less MICRONS.

There are many factors involved in the fineness of the alpaca hair, but the most important are the following ones:

• Its nourishment, thanks to the ICHU, a grass which grows at the height of the Andes where the temperature drops until -25 C. This grass has a special protein which contributes to reduction of MICRONAGE of its hair.

• Its habitat. Is very interesting to note that the animal produces more quality of hair per pore to protect itself against cold, thus while more hairs per pore, less MICRONAGE has every one.

• Its genetic. As all the species, the speciments that form a pair with others from different families, keep and many times improve its characteristics, getting a better quality of hair.

The heat attributes of this hair makes it the ideal fiber to making up garments of high softness and warm, but, my dear friend, this is not all about THE ALPACA...