Furnace Mountain Alpacas

About Alpacas and Alpaca Yarns
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Huacaya
Suri

ABOUT ALPACA FIBER 


There are two breed-types of alpaca: the huacaya (pronounced: "wah-Ki-ya") and suri (pronounced: "surrey"). 
The main difference between them is their fleece: Huacaya's have a wavy crimp which gives them a fluffy appearance, 
whereas Suri's have no crimp, and individual stands of fiber that look like "pencil locks."

Alpacas are raised exclusively for their luxurious fleece, which is comparable to cashmere. 
The alpaca is renowned for its fleece and is considered by the fashion world to be one of the most exquisite. 
Alpaca fiber is soft, supple and smooth to the touch. It is prized for its unique silky, luxurious feel 
and natural luster, as well as exceptional strength.  Because of it fineness as well as its lock structure, 
alpaca is a "no itch fiber" and can comfortably be worn next to the skin. 
Alpaca contains no lanolin. This means it is hypoallergenic to most people.

Alpaca fiber is naturally water resistant. The absorption of environmental humidity is low.  
The structure of the alpaca fiber makes it behave as an insulator. Alpaca contains microscopic air pockets, 
which creates lightweight clothing with good insulating values.  
There are 22 colors officially recognized by the Alpaca Registry.

Yarn made from huacaya fleece is known for its loft and warmth, whereas suri yarn, extremely rare, 
is known for its silkiness, drapiness and luster.  Huacaya yarn is an all purpose yarn and can be used for 
everything from sweaters to hats to scarves to mittens.  It has excellent "memory" and a lighter weight 
can be used (fingering or sports instead of worsted) as compared to sheep's wool because of its 
exceptional warmth, making it more economical because of the increased yardage per weight in a lighter weight yarn.

ABOUT FURNACE MOUNTAIN ALPACA YARNS 

Furnace Mountain Alpaca’s entirely U.S. raised and processed yarn is the finest, most luxurious 
alpaca available anywhere because of the special care from farm to skein in the selection, 
blending and processing:

    * We choose only the finest fleeces from our farm and other select farms, based on fineness, 
	luster and fleece architecture (crimp in huacaya and lock structure in suri)
    * We carefully blend the natural colors of the fibers to create spectacular natural heathers, 
	or true solids (e.g. our true blacks, which is deep and pure in color without any brown tint) 
    * We double clean each fleece as they are processed, which, although resulting in more fiber loss, 
	eliminates any guard hairs which can detract from the softness of the yarn and creates a 
	yarn without the "barnyard" debris of other non-commercial yarns. 
    * Our yarns are processed and spun exclusively by Georgia Mountain Fiber, a custom mill that 
	provides the artistry to create one of the most beautiful spins seen in yarn.

ABOUT ALPACAS 

Alpacas are wonderful, lovable animals, sure to touch your heart! Alpacas are members of the camel family, 
Camelidae, which is comprised of six living species: Dromedary camel, Bactrian camel, Guanaco, Llama, Vicuna, Alpaca. 
The wild progenitor of the Alpaca is the Vicuna. Alpacas are shorn once a year for their fiber as well 
as to provide relief from the hot weather.  Alpacas are not eaten in North America and unlike llamas, 
are not used as "pack animals."  In addition to raising alpacas for their fiber, they are also raised as breeding livestock. 
They provide excellent investment opportunities and are wonderful animals to train and show. 
Their gentle nature and calm disposition provide all types of people with an alternative lifestyle, 
offering peaceful and rewarding living. Alpacas are extremely gentle animals and can be handled safely by children. 
They do not bite or butt, and actually have only a gum palette, not teeth, on their top, front jaw. 
They have two-toed padded feet rather than hooves or claws. They are intelligent animals and learn quickly.

Alpacas have an average lifespan of 15 to 20 years.  Their average height is 36" at the withers 
(the point where their neck and back meet), and have an average weight of 100 to 180 pounds, depending on age and gender.  
Baby alpacas are called cria.   Alpacas only give birth to one cria after an average gestation period of about 335 days. 
It is rare for them to birth twins.  Alpacas are a social, herd animal. As they feel safest in numbers, 
and have such strong herding instincts, it is best not to own just one alpaca: they require the companionship of at least a second alpaca. 

Alpacas are modified ruminants, with a three-compartment stomach.  They chew cud, similar to a cow, sheep or deer. 
They graze pasture, eat hay and eat a grain which is formulated for alpacas. They are able to process and 
utilize food very efficiently, as compared to other ruminants.  Alpacas are an ideal livestock for those people 
who only wish to own a few acres. Six to seven alpacas can comfortably graze on one acre, with 
proper field and pasture rotation.  Alpacas are small enough to transport in a family mini-van or horse/alpaca trailer.
 

Everyone asks "Do they spit?" Alpacas may spit at each other as a way of establishing their herd hierarchy. 
They do not spit at people unless you provoke them.