Knowing the origin of our knit garments
Alpaca is an “auquenido”, they are mammal of the order of the camelid. These are original species from Peru and Bolivia.
The Alpaca has a size of 90 centimeters and measures 1-1.40 meters long. It weighs on average 80 kilos. The head is small, the forehead broad and flat. The ears are very mobile, directed forward when they are watching and Backwards when running when being persecuted. The eyes are large, very expressive, with kind and timid look. The fur is soft and ideal for the production of clothing. Their coat is mainly white, gray, brown or black.
They live and reproduce in regions of high altitude from 4000 to 5000 meters above sea level, in very cold temperatures with snowfall and hail and in areas of low vegetation, such as the “ichu” that only they can take advantage of and transform into energy and wool. But there are other auquenidos and we are going to present them to you.
- Llama: It has a size between 1-1.20 meters. Its weight is 80-110 kilos. The head is covered with short hairs and its ears are longer than those of the alpaca. The skin of the llama does not have the supreme beauty of the vicuna nor its production of wool is as important economically, as the one of the alpaca.
- Vicuña: It is the species more timid, agile and small of the auquénidos. It weighs from 35 to 50 kilos, has a size of 70-90 centimeters. The head is small and very developed in its cranial part; the ears are straight and pointy, the eyes are beautiful, round, large and protruding, with curly and abundant lashes. Its fur is as prestigious as that of the alpaca. Its fur is characterized by its hollow and fluffy form. Its fiber is very fine, resistant and of high calorific value.
- Guanaco: Its height is from 1 to 1.20 meters. Its weight is typically twice that of the vicuñas, around 100 kg, but can reach up to 140 kg. Its fur is longer than that of the vicuña but shorter than that of the alpaca, also of excellent quality and reddish color in the southern guanacos of Peru. The diameter of the fiber ranges from 16 to 18 micrometers. A characteristic of the guanacos is that they have the dark head and the ventral part and the legs of whitish color.
