Since ancient times, the South American Andes Mountains have been the ancestral home to the prized Alpaca. Their fleece was cherished by members of the Incan civilization (referred to as "The Fiber Of The Gods"), and their prized herds of Alpaca roamed the lush foothills and mountainous meadows. Soon the fur was reserved only for those of Incan royalty and was presented as a tribute to them. In the 17th century, Spanish conquistadors killed a large part of both the Incan and Alpaca populations, forcing the retreating survivors to seek refuge in the high mountain plains known as the Altiplano. The high altitude and harsh landscape ensured that only the hardiest of the remaining Alpaca populations survived, and these ancestors of today's best Alpaca bloodlines have provided a gene pool producing hardy, agile animals with dense, high quality fiber.

Alpaca fur possesses countless wonderful qualities through thousands of years of evolutionary fine tuning. The harsh environment of the Andes Mountains forced Alpaca to evolve in order to survive. The Alpaca had to develop fur that would protect it and provide warmth through the harsh winter months. Alpaca fur strands are hollow on the inside, creating a cylindrical shape on the microscopic level. This property allows each individual strand to act as a mini thermos, keeping out the cold while holding warmth inside. The hollow structure also keeps the fur light weight and fluffy. The Alpaca also developed natural oils on its fur in order to repel dirt and dust from its environment. These natural oils keep the fur very silky to the touch. Alpaca fiber is also incredibly strong and as soft as cashmere.