About Suri Alpacas

Alpacas are members of the Camel Family or Camelidae; not that they are like camels, but rather they ARE Camels.  There are two breeds of Alpaca, the fluffy Huacaya (pronounced Wha-kai-ya) and the silky Suri (pronounced Surrey).

Suri alpacas are distinct from Huacaya alpacas mainly in the type of fleece or fiber they produce.  While Huacaya fiber stands up from the skin and tends to have crimp or crinkle, the suri hangs down and parts along the spine.  Most important, the suri produces a fleece or fiber type that is more like silk than any other animal fiber.  And, they can produce up to 5 lbs or more of it each year!

There is much variability in suri lock types.  The tightly twisted lock can twist right up to the skin or twist only part way along the lock, but these locks must be ripped apart to mill the fiber into yarn.  The loose or flat lock type is much easier to comb out for processing.  For this reason, we at Suri Futures breed for the flat-type of lock, which we learned from Bruxo and Don Julio Barreda of the Estancia Accoyo in Peru.

Suri fiber is naturally more like silk than any other animal fiber.  According to electron microscope research conducted by Andy Tillman, the smooth hair shaft of suri has the lowest scale height of any natural fiber except for silk.  Recall that protein fibers are constructed of overlapping scales; in suri alpaca, these scales are so low that the shaft is nearly smooth.  This gives the suri fiber its silk-like quality.  Ref:  Tillman, Andy and Dr. Cheryl Tillman, “Surface Scanning Electron Microscopy of Suri Alpaca Fiber and Other Members of the Camel Family”, Alpacas Magazine, Alpaca Owners & Breeders Association, Nashville, Tennessee, Spring 2006.

We encourage all suri breeders to join the only suri alpaca organization in the USA, the Suri Network.  For more information, visit their web site at http://surinetwork.org/

In the US, we're seeing some consensus emerge about grading or classing alpaca fiber for processing.  Currently U.S. growers are working on a classing system, and a system of six grades is being recognized.  Here are some other grades for comparison. The international standard for cashmere is < 19 microns. Vicuna is <14 microns.

Alpaca, both suri and huacaya, is classed according to a range of fineness.  Canadians sort with six grades: G1 <20 microns (µ); G2 20 -22.9 µ; G3 23-25.9µ; G4 26-28.9µ; G5 29-32µ and G6 is greater than 33µ. The fibers’ micron grade will help determine how the yarn is best used as well as its price.  Fine suri can be worn next to the skin.  Coarser fiber is used for outer garments, for rugs and a wide range of felt products.

Optimal use of alpaca fiber depends on good animal health, correct shearing and cleaning or skirting.  We recomend that all alpaca fiber producers take shearing very seriously.  We offer training for alpaca owners to learn to shear their own alpacas.   By shearing your own alpacas, you can become even more successful in your alpaca business.  You can save money by not hiring an outside shearer; you can shear them on the best day for your farm and your alpacas, and you'll get better quality fiber into the fleece bags.  It doesn't have to be stressful; shearing can be at least pleasant for both alpaca and owner!