The History of Baby Llama Fabric

The history of this fabric dates back to the Inca period, whose tribes domesticated both alpacas and llamas. Alpacas were selectively bred to produce a fleece that was fine and uniform, to create alpaca wool garments for kings and high-ranking individuals. Llamas were simply used as pack animals, ideal for carrying heavy loads, and their fiber was considered usable only by the common people due to its coarseness. Llamas are strong animals, capable of withstanding very high temperatures, so admired and used that the Inca god Urcuchillay was depicted with the features of a llama.

Technically speaking, llama wool today is not exactly wool. The selection of llama wool is very meticulous, allowing the extraction of a natural fiber from the fleece that is suitable for the most refined garments. Llama wool has a hollow core, giving this product a good weight-to-heat ratio, making it practically lightweight and super resistant. During shearing, the entire fleece is collected: a new shearing requires a wait of 2 years.

The Characteristics of Baby Llama

The fiber obtained from the baby llama, a cousin of the alpaca, is lanolin-free and has smaller, smoother scales, making it a hypoallergenic yarn. Thanks to its fineness, a very soft and resistant yarn is produced, which is also mixed with other fibers. Lacking any memory, baby llama yarn is excellent for weaving.

A natural fiber that, as we have seen, does not contain lanolin, making it very light and producing up to 93% of its original weight when processed, and it does not shrink when washed. The fibers obtained have a diameter of about 25-30 microns, figures very similar to common wools, but in baby llama, they translate into a much softer and finer fiber.

Another intrinsic characteristic of llama fibers is their resistance to stains and abrasion. Additionally, garments made of 100% baby llama can also protect against high-altitude UV rays, like those in the Andean highlands. Llama yarn is available in a wide range of colors, from white to brown to black, with unique and natural shades. Just by looking at it, the yarn derived from llama wool seems ethereal and super soft. Llama wool has a natural silkiness and a truly unique and unparalleled beauty.

The Difference between Alpaca Fiber and Llama Fiber

Alpaca wool and llama wool share many characteristics, such as resistance, natural beauty, softness, and the almost total absence of lanolin. The differences between llama and alpaca are minimal: the alpaca is generally smaller and can be sheared once a year, whereas the llama is hand-sheared only once every two years, but produces at least 3 kg of wool from which 93% yarn is obtained.

The breeding of baby llama or alpaca is controlled precisely for the survival of both species. Shearing is done by hand and quickly to ensure the animal does not suffer too much stress from the noise of the razor. Both llama and alpaca can be found in various parts of the world, even in New Zealand, but both fibers remain rare for their quality and unique characteristics.