100% BABY ALPACA YARN 10 x SKEINS 4 Ply DARK GRAY

You will receive 10 x Skeins of this gorgeous natural colour:

Dark gray (Code 404)

What is baby alpaca fiber?

It is softer than alpaca fiber (*) and of finer quality.  It comes from the first shearing of the alpacas.

(*) Alpaca fiber is warmer than sheep's wool and lighter in weight.  It is soft and luxurious and lacks the "prickle" factor. 

Alpaca facts

• Alpacas are members of the camelid family and originate in the Andes in South America.
• There are two types, Suri and Huacaya (Suri represents 10% of the alpaca population).
• Alpacas are much smaller than llamas, it weights 45 to 50kg (100-180) and stands on average one metre tall at the highest point of its back. 
• Alpacas are delicate in appearance with a gentle disposition. They are a one coated animal (lacking the guard hair that most llamas have) and grow about 5-8 pounds of fiber a year, at a rate of about 3.5 inches per year.
• Females normally give birth once a year to a baby (cria) that weighs 6-9kg (15-20 pounds).  The gestation period of an alpaca is 11 months.
• The average lifespan of an alpaca is 15-20 years with a few living up to 30 years.
• The alpaca live in herds and live at elevations of 14,000 to 16,000 feet.
• The alpaca is a herbivore and it grazes on grass and eats weeds, shrubs and trees. It has special stomach secretions that help it absorb 50% more nutrients than a sheep, allowing it to survive where there is only poor quality grass.
• The alpaca has very thick fur to survive the cold climate of the Andes. Its long neck helps spot predators among the rocks of the mountain slopes.   The alpaca is prey to pumas and leopards in the wild.

• These animals have been domesticated for over 5,000 year.  Others describe their personalities as being warm, friendly and gentle. The special charm of this mysterious breed has been a well kept secret except for the limited people who have the privilege to keep such a prize.

• There are 22 Alpaca fleece colours – from white to fawns, browns and black.

• The alpaca were almost extinct following the invasion of the Spanish conquistadors in regions of South America.  There are 3.5 million alpacas in the wild in South America.

Beware when purchasing alpaca/baby alpaca garments:

The term "alpaca" is commonly used to designate a garment that has only a small percentage of alpaca fiber.  I am appalled at the amount of market sellers and shops in Cusco and Lima, and internet sellers worldwide claiming their products  are made of 100% "alpaca" or worst "baby alpaca" when only a small percentage has alpaca fiber.  These such garments will even have a label advertising the item as "Pure alpaca", "Genuine baby alpaca" or "100% baby alpaca" but that is just because they can get away with that.  Sorry, but genuine alpaca or baby alpaca items are seldom found in the markets.  Fake alpaca garments are usually brushed to add softness to the texture.  If you want to buy a garment made of genuine "alpaca" or "baby alpaca", you will have to buy it from a reputable shop or reputable artisans organization and pay a high price for it.

If you are interested in alpaca and baby alpaca accesories, keep tuned to my eBay shop as I will list scarves, ponchos and shoulderbags.

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More photos of this Dark gray colour:

The scarf down below was handknitted with the baby alpaca yarn for sale in our eBay shop

This LUXURIOUS UNISEX BABY ALPACA SCARF will be on sale in our eBay shop soon

It measures 180 cm x 14 cm (70.5" x 5.5")

Please check out our Baby alpaca & Alpaca Knits category

More Baby alpaca yarn in our eBay shop

If you have any questions please contact us to work out your order together.

Australian customers:  This item is eligible for Free Reg Post within Australia.

International customers:  This item requires international insurance.

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