Suri alpacas possess a lustrous coat that hangs close to the body in round ringlets. The quality of fleece is not measured by volume, but by handle. Slippery, almost greasy, locks are a more desirable coat, and often cause the alpaca to appear smaller than it actually is. Suri fiber is typically woven into a warm thick cloth ideal for jackets and coats.
Huacaya alpacas grow soft bunches of crimped fleece from individual follicles. The fleece is never dry and flakey, but rather rich and dense in texture. Unlike the Suri, the Huacaya appears to be larger than it actually because the fleece grows perpendicular to the body in uniform bundles. The lightweight fleece of a Huacaya alpaca possesses the ideal nourishment and sheen to be spun into thin textiles ideal for form fitting garments.
