| 
Some of the fleece was damp from rains on shearing day, so it was spread out for drying before being sorted for destinations.
Prime fleece is from the main body ('blanket') of the alpaca. It is the softest and therefore the best fleece for clothing items worn next to the skin. It may be hand-spun or processed at a mill into yarn, and then made into garments.
Seconds are collected from the neck and legs and are graded according to their softness for various uses.
The excess fleece is the shorter, coarser fiber is often processed into rugs, pet beds, felted items, and now absorbent oil booms. Every bit of alpaca fiber can be put to use in some way!
For more Information & Photos about Shearing, click here. |
