Alpaca Fun Facts

Hello! I'm Lynn, locally known as The Alpaca Lady. I fell in love with these gentle, adorable creatures many years ago and have since become obsessed with alpaca fiber. Knit, crochet, spin, felt, process - yes, I do it all.

Although alpacas are now enjoying more name recognition, I'm sure many people have yet to encounter one in person. So...

Here are 4 fun facts about alpacas to file away for your next party conversation starter:

• Alpacas, despite having "pac" in their name, are not pack animals. Their llama relatives do the heavy lifting.
• Alpacas come in 2 flavors - Huacaya and Suri (no relation to the Cruise family). Huacaya alpacas produce fiber that is soft and fuzzy, while Suri fiber is silky and hangs in dreadlocks.
• Alpaca fiber is as fine as cashmere and lighter/warmer than sheep's wool. It is also lanolin-free, making it a great choice for children or people who are sensitive to wool. 
• Male alpacas make a sound known as "orgling" while mating. Imagine hearing grandpa gargling ecstatically in the bathroom. Yep. That's about right.

Ciao for now,
Lynn