From Paddock to Product
Shearing
Step 1
Shearing takes place annually, usually in spring. Alpacas are shorn once a year, usually in spring and it takes around five to ten minutes per animal for an experienced alpaca shearer. Alpacas don’t have a flexible backbone so they cannot be shorn the same way as sheep. The preferred method of shearing is to lay the animals on their side, either on a shearing table or the ground, and restrain their legs with a tether at each end to protect both the shearer and the alpaca. Electric sheep-shearing equipment is normally used, but because alpaca fibre is non-greasy, care needs to be taken that shears do not over-heat. Depending on fineness and density, alpacas will cut between 2.5 and 5 kg of fleece.
Classing
Step 3
As with all natural fibres, alpaca needs to be sorted to meet the needs of processors. The main properties are fibre diameter (micron), length and colour.
Carding
Step 5
Once the fleece is scoured, the individual fibres need to be aligned. This process will also remove some of the unwanted vegetable matter.
Spinning
Step 7
Tops are fed into spinning machines to make a yarn for either knitting or weaving. This is the last process in the chain before the fabric is manufactured.
Finished Garments
Step 9
The beautiful natural colours of alpaca fleece are manufactured directly into end products.
Pre-classing
Step 2
Alpaca fleece is skirted prior to sending to the classer to remove vegetable matter or unusable fibre.
Scouring
Step 4
All natural fibres need to be scoured or washed to remove dirt and grease from the fleece. Alpaca fleece has a low grease content and will yield around 90% of initial fleece weight after scouring.
Top Making
Step 6
The fibres go through a finishing alignment called gilling before being combed into a product known as a top. This top has the appearance of a loose rope without the twist.
Dyeing
Step 8
An advantage of alpaca is that the lighter colours are easily dyed to suit contemporary fashion. The beautiful natural colours of alpaca are manufactured directly into top end products. Here at JAFF Designs when we dye our fleece we use only 100% natural eucalyptus leaves and barks.
Step 1
Shearing
Shearing takes place annually, usually in spring. Alpacas are shorn once a year, usually in spring and it takes around five to ten minutes per animal for an experienced alpaca shearer. Alpacas don’t have a flexible backbone so they cannot be shorn the same way as sheep. The preferred method of shearing is to lay the animals on their side, either on a shearing table or the ground, and restrain their legs with a tether at each end to protect both the shearer and the alpaca. Electric sheep-shearing equipment is normally used, but because alpaca fibre is non-greasy, care needs to be taken that shears do not over-heat. Depending on fineness and density, alpacas will cut between 2.5 and 5 kg of fleece.
Shearing
Step 1
Shearing takes place annually, usually in spring. Alpacas are shorn once a year, usually in spring and it takes around five to ten minutes per animal for an experienced alpaca shearer. Alpacas don’t have a flexible backbone so they cannot be shorn the same way as sheep. The preferred method of shearing is to lay the animals on their side, either on a shearing table or the ground, and restrain their legs with a tether at each end to protect both the shearer and the alpaca. Electric sheep-shearing equipment is normally used, but because alpaca fibre is non-greasy, care needs to be taken that shears do not over-heat. Depending on fineness and density, alpacas will cut between 2.5 and 5 kg of fleece.