Guanaco
Also known as: Wild llama
Wild South American camelid with a double-layer coat — the ancestor of the llama, fine down hair around 14 µm.
Description
The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is the wild ancestor of the domesticated llama and lives in the Andes and steppes of South America up to 4,000 m — mainly in Argentina (Patagonia), Chile, Bolivia and Peru. The coat has two layers: a coarse, weather-resistant guard hair layer protects against rain and snow; beneath it lies the fine, crimped down at around 14–16 µm, which is used in textiles.
Before the Spanish arrived an estimated 50 million guanacos lived in South America; today there are about 600,000. The wool is considered the second-finest natural fibre after that of the vicuña and is likewise strictly regulated. In Argentina, live wild animals are specifically captured, gently shorn and released again (similar to the Chaccu). The fibre is used for exclusive jackets, coats, scarves and blankets — mostly by Italian and Swiss mills.
- Down fineness 14–16 µm — second-finest natural fibre
- Ancestor of the llama (not of the alpaca)
- Harvest by gentle capture and release
- Regulated like vicuña — certificate required
Properties
| Fibre type | Animal hair, wild camelid (14–16 µm) |
|---|---|
| Origin | Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru |
| Application | Luxury coats, jackets, scarves, blankets |
| Certificates | CITES certificate for wildlife products |
Related product categories
Sources & references
1- Wikipedia: Guanako Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanako
