What Is So Special About Alpaca Fiber?? Alpaca fiber, in contrast to sheep's wool, is special because wool has lanolin, which some people are allergic to and alpaca fibers are dry and virtually free of lanolin.   More importantly, the reason that lower grades of sheep wool are irritating to the skin has to do with the structure of the individual wool fibers:  The scales of the 'cuticle' or outside covering of the individual fibers of sheep's wool protrude further from the shaft than the scales of the alpaca, giving the alpaca fiber a softer 'hand' than sheep's wool of a comparable micron.    The staple length of the fibers is also an important factor, since the ends of the fibers tend to stick out from the yarns and prickle the skin of the wearer.  So processors require a staple length of at least two inches before they create yarn.   The most important factor in softness and comfort is generally considered to be the fineness of the fiber, measured in microns, with 'prickle' attributed to fiber that measures over 30 microns.  Baby fine alpaca fiber can measure from 14 - 18 microns and a good breeding adult will average micron amounts in the low to mid 20's!   Most breeders will have histograms done on samples of fleece from selected animals - ask to see the latest histogram results when you are considering a purchase. Most histograms will give you the percentage of fibers that are over and under the 30 micron amount.   Alpaca fiber is also five times warmer than wool and three times stronger. So a garment doesn't have to be bulky to be warm.   Knitters, weavers and hand-spinners will tell you that alpaca fiber makes a wonderful light-weight, silky-feeling yarn. Both Suri and Huacaya fiber share the same characteristics - Suri fiber has more luster than its shorter counterpart and Huacaya has crimp.   The fiber is comparable to cashmere but less expensive and easier to process.   Even after years of wear, alpaca knitwear  looks brand new because it doesn't ever fade. Alpacas with more than one color of fleece, like a pinto, will produce a gorgeous tweed fiber that is prized among hand-spinners and knitters.   Speaking of hand spinners and knitters, you're never too old to take up the skill. I just started knitting a few years ago and didn't start spinning until two years ago. As a breeder, I found that spinning helped me get a real understanding of the type of fiber we wanted to produce.