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There is a fantastic material that many people may not have heard of: it is Vicuna fiber. Sometimes called golden fleece, this is the world's rarest and most expensive material. It has amazing properties: it is soft, light, strong and very warm. Commonly believed to be the finest fiber in existence, this is even finer than cashmere.
Vicunas are mammals and members of the Camelidae family, which includes the wild Guanaco as well as the llama and the alpaca. Like llamas, these creatures have long necks and thin legs. They also have large, round eyes and a coat the color of cinnamon, apart from their white, hairier chests. The animals weigh around the hundred pound mark, and stand approximately one meter tall at their shoulders.
Vicunas are found in mountainous alpine areas in South America, most extensively in the Peruvian Andes, but also in Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. Like their padded, cloven hooves, good eyesight, and their ability to run quickly and cover great distances, their coats are an adaptation that led to the breed's success. The mammal has a double layered fleece which helps them deal with the cold high-altitude conditions in which they live. The underneath layer is soft and dense and works as an insulator, and the outer layer is long and silky soft.
The Incas introduced a ritualistic way in which to herd and shear the animals, called a Chaccu. Every four years, when it was time for this event, the king ordered the people to play their instruments and wave decorative flags in order to drive the creatures into a group. The Vicunas were then caught, sheared and released, unharmed. The clothes produced were only worn by the royalty.
The price this material commanded, unfortunately led to hunters, in more recent times, killing the animals for their pelts. A conservation program was introduced in the sixties and seventies because the numbers had fallen so low. This was largely successful, and there are now almost two hundred thousand Vicunas in Peru. However, this is still less than before the hunting started.
These days, Peruvians still hold Chaccus in order to round up and shear the animals. The creatures are not hurt in this process and there is plenty of legislation in place to protect them. It is illegal to export Vicunas, but their fleece is now allowed to be sold outside South America. However, there is a strict protocol to follow, with exporters needing to adhere to guidelines drawn up by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
In many communities, traditional ways of dealing with the fleece are followed, with people still sorting it by hand. They also wash the hair before leaving it out to dry in the sunshine. The material does not react well to dying, so is usually spun and weaved in its natural range of colors.
Vicuna fiber is an amazing material but it is also a rare material. The amount of fleece from one animal is fairly small, and may not even be enough to make a scarf. This, combined with the rarity and the fantastic qualities, means that garments produced cost a lot of money.
Vicunas are mammals and members of the Camelidae family, which includes the wild Guanaco as well as the llama and the alpaca. Like llamas, these creatures have long necks and thin legs. They also have large, round eyes and a coat the color of cinnamon, apart from their white, hairier chests. The animals weigh around the hundred pound mark, and stand approximately one meter tall at their shoulders.
Vicunas are found in mountainous alpine areas in South America, most extensively in the Peruvian Andes, but also in Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. Like their padded, cloven hooves, good eyesight, and their ability to run quickly and cover great distances, their coats are an adaptation that led to the breed's success. The mammal has a double layered fleece which helps them deal with the cold high-altitude conditions in which they live. The underneath layer is soft and dense and works as an insulator, and the outer layer is long and silky soft.
The Incas introduced a ritualistic way in which to herd and shear the animals, called a Chaccu. Every four years, when it was time for this event, the king ordered the people to play their instruments and wave decorative flags in order to drive the creatures into a group. The Vicunas were then caught, sheared and released, unharmed. The clothes produced were only worn by the royalty.
The price this material commanded, unfortunately led to hunters, in more recent times, killing the animals for their pelts. A conservation program was introduced in the sixties and seventies because the numbers had fallen so low. This was largely successful, and there are now almost two hundred thousand Vicunas in Peru. However, this is still less than before the hunting started.
These days, Peruvians still hold Chaccus in order to round up and shear the animals. The creatures are not hurt in this process and there is plenty of legislation in place to protect them. It is illegal to export Vicunas, but their fleece is now allowed to be sold outside South America. However, there is a strict protocol to follow, with exporters needing to adhere to guidelines drawn up by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
In many communities, traditional ways of dealing with the fleece are followed, with people still sorting it by hand. They also wash the hair before leaving it out to dry in the sunshine. The material does not react well to dying, so is usually spun and weaved in its natural range of colors.
Vicuna fiber is an amazing material but it is also a rare material. The amount of fleece from one animal is fairly small, and may not even be enough to make a scarf. This, combined with the rarity and the fantastic qualities, means that garments produced cost a lot of money.
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You can visit the website jeffersonfarmsnaturalfibers.com/ for more helpful information about The Story Of Vicuna Fiber
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