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Becoming an alpaca breeder also means a commitment toward the development of a new fiber industry in the United States.
With increasing numbers of alpacas and careful selective breeding, Americans are producing animals with excellent and desirable fiber characteristics. Our numbers are still relatively small and we have many years ahead of building our national herd numbers for a large scale fiber/textile industry.
Currently, the market for our fiber and end products is varied in. “Cottage” business are many and we have many producers who make a valuable contribution to getting alpaca products into the American marketplace. Many small breeders find adding a fiber component to their business is very lucrative and serves as another form of marketing for their alpaca operation. Alpaca entrepreneurs process the fiber from their own stock and find markets to sell it as a raw product, in rovings, yarn or finished goods. Some find buying wholesale finished goods for their own retail on-ranch stores a great additional source of income as well as promotional tool.
Fiber arts and interest in natural fibers are enjoying a resurgence. Alpaca fiber is in increasing demand by small processors, spinners and weavers. Clothing, accessory designers and manufacturers are now using alpaca fiber for not only high end garments, but for warm and durable sports wear. Our industry has a strong marketing program to make consumers more aware of the value of alpaca fiber, thereby creating more of a demand in the market place.
There are currently over 50,000 alpacas in the U.S. and as we continue to increase these numbers, we obviously increase the amount of fiber available. The options for selling your fiber in various forms from raw to finished goods are increasing rapidly and provide a good means of revenue for every breeder. Many breeders find that their fiber sales pay for their overhead expenses each year, while some others with on-site shops, attribute fiber sales to a larger portion of their ranch revenue.
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