Ohio Alpaca Farms Provide Fiber for Warmth and Fashion

In partnership with: Ohio Department of Agriculture

RaeRae is one of the older female Suri alpacas living on Blue Bird Hills Farm in Springfield, Ohio.

Not only is she friendly and loving, but when her fleece is sheared each spring, her fiber is transformed into beautiful clothing.

“RaeRae is my favorite,” shares Celeste Malvar-Stewart, a Columbus-based fashion designer who has become a cheerleader for alpaca fiber. “I know all their names, and they all have different personalities.”

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Malvar-Stewart uses a process called nuno felting to bond alpaca fiber with silk gauze to create a delicate fabric for her couture gowns, dresses, and scarves under her label MALVAR=STEWART as she gains attention in the fashion industry for her chic,
sustainable style.

“I’m so in love with the fiber – alpaca fiber is the softest material I’ve worked with,” Malvar-Stewart says.

Ohio is Full of Alpacas

With more than 22,000 registered alpacas, Ohio is home to more of these adorable animals than any other state, thanks to Dr. Anthony Stachowski.

A Mantua-based veterinarian who brought alpacas to Ohio in 1984, Stachowski sought a unique, self-sufficient animal for his farm that would thrive on smaller acreage. He currently has 300 alpacas and enjoys showing them at national alpaca competitions.

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“Alpacas are very clean, graze pasture, and eat pelleted feed,” Stachowski says. “They’re also passive herd animals that socialize well and can’t bite because they only have front teeth on their lower jaw.”

Alpacas are members of the camel family and originate from South America. More than 5,000 years ago, Peruvian Incas in the Andes Mountains bred wild vicuñas with llamas to create an animal with luxurious fiber for warm clothing in the cold climate.

Fiber for Warmth and Fashion

There are two breeds of alpacas – Suri and Huacaya. Suri fiber is straight and grows in locks; Huacaya fiber has crimpy waves and grows in bundles. Both are thermal, dynamic, and lightweight with a non-itchy, comfortable feeling when worn.

“Huacaya fiber is very fine, but the Suri has a silkier feeling,” Malvar-Stewart says. Alpacas produce around 4 pounds of fiber per shearing, with a pound of fiber costing approximately $48, or $3 an ounce, more expensive than sheep wool.

“I ski in alpaca sweaters and wear alpaca socks year-round,” Stachowski says.

Alpaca scarves, hats, coats, and blankets are popular, mainly in colder climates, for their softness, warmth, and durability.

Whether it’s a stylish dress or warm socks, you can’t go wrong with alpaca fiber. Back at Blue Bird Hills Farm, RaeRae’s days as a fashion icon are far from over.