Huacaya Alpacas

Huacaya alpacas are recognized by their fluffy, "teddy-bear" look.  Their fiber is warm and is valued by hand spinners based on the amount of crimp or crinkle in the lock structure, along with the fineness of the fiber. They had been domesticated for years by the Incas of South America, and unlike their cousins, the Llamas, were bred for their fiber. The finest fiber was reserved for royalty.

Huacayas are the more common alpaca sub-type, but there is only around 30,000 of them in the United States. Most people who are allergic to wool can wear alpaca garments. The fibers of both the Suri and the Huacaya are hollow for better insulating, smoother, with little "prickle" effect, and have no lanolin like sheeps' wool.

Jodi with baby, Jocelyn