Calidad de la fibra de alpaca de los cantones Colta y Guamote

Abstract

The role of camelids is extremely relevant for the population of the high Andean zones of the moorland and sub-moorlands, ensuring their survival and sustaining the local economy. The objective of this research was to evaluate the quality of alpaca fiber in the Colta and Guamote towns, where quality studies were carried out on adult and young alpacas, obtaining 140 fiber samples. Characteristics such as length, fineness, number of curls and medullation were analyzed. The results showed that the fibers in Colta and Guamote towns meet "Baby Alpaca" grade standards. Age influenced length and medullation and adult alpacas showed more presence of medullated fibers. Color also affected medullation. Most of the fibers are classified as "Super Baby Alpaca" and "Baby Alpaca" and are considered high quality for textiles. The results indicated that the alpaca fiber sample meets the standards for use in textile industrialization, classifying it as "Alpaca Baby" grade. The origin influenced the characteristics of the fibers, so it is recommended to follow proper shearing practices. Although sex did not directly affect the characteristics, age is crucial for fiber quality. More than 75% of the samples met the standards for high quality and comfort textiles, thus the research demonstrated the importance of camelids in these regions and provided valuable information for the textile industry and alpaca care in Ecuador. Therefore, the use of fiber from Colta and Guamote towns is recommended for quality textile garments.