You have just finished shearing. The newly shorn Suri alpaca goes back out to the field to roll in the fresh spring grass. Alpaca friends come rushing over saying, "Heads up everyone, new guy coming...Whoa....it’s Dude! What happened to you???" You watch for a few minutes with an amused smile, then picking stray bits of fiber from your own person, you turn back to your beautiful fleece only to find - the CAT! Yes, Kitty has quickly claimed the shimmering, silky pile as her preferred place of rest. Shoo the cat, dog, child or whatever may have claimed the Suri fleece, rescue it and catch your breath.
Now, you can admire the beauty of the Suri fleece before you. Luster so brilliant, it seems to have a life of its own, locks laying side by side in perfect unison and form. You chose your breeding stock wisely, bred with forethought, gave your alpacas all the best care, and now you have a magnificent fleece. So now what? What do you do with Suri?
That is a good question. Suri is one of the rarest fibers on earth. It was basically unknown in this country until just a few years ago. Even in South America, Suri is only a small part (approximately 5%) of the total alpaca produced. Most Suri in South America is blended with Huacaya or wool and used for fabric. Often, it is shipped as roving or tops to Europe or Japan where the end use will determine how it is woven. Unfortunately, in the United States, there are not enough alpacas, let alone Suris, to support a large commercial venture at this time.
There are, however, other ways to market your fiber. You an always join the Alpaca Fiber Co-Op of North America You send your fiber off to be blended with other breeders’ fiber. The co-op will process it into roving, yarn and other products. You can order the products and yarn from the co-op to resell on your farm, but you do not get back your own fiber.
Hand spinners and fiber artists are just beginning to discover the wonders of Suri. If there are any in you area, you may find they are eager to buy your raw fleeces. Attend the crafts fairs and expos and offer the venders samples. Be sure to include your business card with the sample.
There are also several small processors throughout the country who are capable of handling Suri. Some produce roving or bats, and some will provide you with yarn. You may wish to have your Suri blended with Huacaya or other fiber. It blends well with silk or long staple cotton. Blending with wool ads memory. Be sure to discuss your options with the processor. One word of advice, hand pick and skirt your fleeces carefully before sending them off your farm. The cleaner the fleeces are when you send them off, the happier the processors will be and the happier you will be with the finished product.
Once you have the roving or yarn, your use of Suri is limited only by your imagination. Some say that Suri can not be used for knitting, others disagree. Some say Suri must be blended, other disagree. Hand spinners who have worked with Suri, tell me that as long as you remember its special qualities, you can do just about anything with it. Many say they handle Suri as they do silk. Personally, I have seen sweaters knit of pure Suri, shawls and scarves of Suri woven in intricate patterns, A Suri lace wedding ring shawl that could only be described as exquisite and men’s sports coats and women’s coats and dresses made from Suri designer fabric. Felt can even be made from Suri, but that a little patience.
So, what do you do with Suri? Enjoy it and experiment with it. If we add a little creativity to the special qualities of Suri, who knows what can be done with it? Suri is such a rare and unique fiber. We as breeders need to explore all the possibilities of its use, and promote its wonderful characteristics. From what I have seen, the luster and silkiness come through in the finished product. Wearing a garment made from Suri makes you feel so elegant, so sophisticated and so special. We should all weave a little Suri into the fabric of our lives.
For more information on Suri Alpacas, contact us. We are always happy to discuss the qualities of these very special alpacas and their fiber.