Premium Fibre Taking Alpacas to the Next Level

PREMIUM FIBRE – TAKING ALPACAS TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Paul Vallely Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing

‘Being at the crossroads’ is a cliché used far too often.

It is relied upon when someone is attempting to inflate the level of importance of a point they wish to assert. The cliché, however, might not be an inappropriate description when one considers the state of the Alpaca industry.

Since the early days of alpacas’ popularity, breeding regimes have reflected the importance of the show-ring.

The tangible results of fastidious breeding and husbandry are paraded under the subjective scrutiny of judges amid hopes of adornment with show ribbons. The ribbons satisfy the notion of ‘value adding’ as they appreciate the value of the successful alpaca when it is sold to another breeder – obviously with a view to more prize winning progeny.

During these shows or sales, much attention is directed to the fleeces. We utter traits such as fineness, crimp, style, lustre and uniformity. We talk of how the fleeces look and feel, and we refer to a multitude of available statistics and graphs generated from testing the relevant animals’ mid-side fleece samples.

However, behind the ribbons and the catalogue descriptions, there is the inescapable irony - alpacas rarely produce fleeces that cover the cost of shearing.

And yet, there is an even greater irony. Alpacas are clearly capable of producing fibre that is suitable for the most elite, the most luxurious, and often the most expensive product ranges. This fact has already been proven.

Italian fashion racks carry extrafine alpaca/wool blend suits worth tens of thousand of dollars. Eco-friendly fashion stores in Germany carry high quality garments using undyed coloured alpaca fibre, highly sought by a burgeoning number of ‘environmentally conscious’ consumers. With the use of innovative processing, the silkiness of suri fibre has been used for ‘special wear’ garments. Yet the use of premium alpaca fibre in these products is solely limited by the availability of suitable fleece consignments – and I stress the word ‘suitable’. As the alpaca industry continues to seek its sense of purpose somewhere in the show circuits, the alpacas’ natural attributes sit waiting upon a silver platter.

To illustrate the viability of producing for the premium fibre market, the following table provides the highest price achieved and the relevant market indicator for price points in the Australian superfine wool market during February 2008.

Micron Top $ per kg Market (clean) indicator 13 $833 n/a 14 $292 $105 (14.5) 15 $52 $39 16 $36 $22 17 $26 $15 18 $24 $14 (source Ausfine Wool Co Ltd)

To relate the above table to alpaca fibre, it has been reported that alpaca is suitable to be blended with wool that is about 3 microns finer. For instance, 15 micron wool processes in a manner similar to 18 micron alpaca.

The table clearly shows the potential economic benefits of pursuing premium markets.

To reinforce this message, the Australian Alpaca Fleece Ltd (AAFL) were paying up to $60 (AUD) for ultrafine grade alpaca fleeces (under 19 microns), while superfine fleeces (between 20 and 19 microns) were making up to $27.50 during 2008.

However, before you jump to the conclusion that your 17 micron alpaca fleece is worth almost $300 per kilo, there are two important points to make.

Firstly, these prices are based on the consistent supply of a reasonable volume. For ultrafine alpaca, I would suggest at least 250 kilos annually.

The second point is that the higher the price paid, the tighter the specifications. During the set-up phase of the successful Ultrafine Bale scheme, Australian Alpaca Fibre Testing conducted a basic market analysis to identify opportunities for premium alpaca fibre by speaking to existing and potential buyers.

Alpaca fibre was generally regarded as a ‘prestige’ fibre with its potential to be used in a similar manner as cashmere, given its relatively low resistance to compression, ability to produce soft yarn or fabric and relatively high tensile strength. Many considered alpaca as suitable for blending with superfine/ultrafine wool for use in top end fashions.

On the negative side, there were a number of concerns.

Alpaca was seen as possessing far too many coarse fibres, both in terms of the average fibre diameter of fleeces and in terms of the incidence of ‘guard hair’ and other problematic fibres. It also has a reputation for variation of colour among individual fibres. Furthermore, shearing practices had resulted in contamination of fleeces with unacceptable variation in length, colour and diameter. In addition, fibre length of consigned alpaca was reported as often too long for blended processing.

Addressing these concerns is actually easier than one might think. The negative attributes of alpaca fleeces are dictated by fibre traits that are all highly heritable – with time and with the aid of latest technology and methods, they can be effectively addressed through genetic selection.

Shearing practices can be improved through grower awareness and diligence.

One important point to note is that for the alpaca industry to carve its niche into the global premium fibre market, it does not need to wait until these genetic gains are achieved. As could be seen with the ultrafine bale scheme, we can still supply this market albeit with a very limited supply while we seek genetic improvement.

While developing a supply chain for the premium market, there are some critical lessons that can be learnt from the wool industry.

Premium fibre growing must be driven by market signals from existing and potential buyers. Breeding objectives should reflect what fibre processors/buyers tell us they desire – not what we want them to desire.

The supply of premium alpaca fibre must be linked to brand recognition. These brands/labels should include positive messages of welfare driven husbandry, environmentally conscious practices, quality assurance systems and images of luxury and comfort.

The brand should also include ‘personalised stories’ of how the fibre is grown. Letting consumers know you love your alpacas will kick goals in the top-end fashion markets.

To illustrate the importance of effective brand recognition, recent market analysis carried out by Australian Wool Innovation Ltd (AWI) found that ‘Wool’ is seen by consumers as itchy, while ‘Merino’ is seen by the same consumers as soft and luxurious.

However, the most effective marketing program will be wasted unless a consistent supply of premium alpaca fibre is being produced.

The success of the Australian ultrafine bale scheme has shown alpaca can be positioned as one of the world’s most luxurious fibres – but only with a consumer driven focus combined with strategic breeding management and marketing systems. Once this occurs, premium alpaca fibre will offer the industry a viable and sustainable future and will breathe new life into growing the ‘fibre of the gods’.

A series of workshops titled ‘Premium Fleece – taking alpacas to the next level’ are being conducted around Australia and New Zealand. For details, see www.aaft.com.au