The Vicuna cannot be domesticated, but their little descendants handle it very well. Huacayas are fluffy with fine, crimpy fiber. The Suri's fiber curls in a spiral rather than crimps, which makes it form pendulous locks instead of fluff. Suri fiber is generally more lustrous and often finer than huacaya. Suris are rarer than huacayas, and not quite as adept at withstanding severe weather without shelter, since the lock formation of their fleece allows rain and snow to penetrate to the skin more easily.
Alpacas produce their abundant and luxurious fiber in twenty-two recognized colors.
During the reign of the Incas, alpaca fiber was to be worn only by high-ranking officials and nobility. It continues to be highly prized today, being used for luxury apparel. A high-quality alpaca sweater can cost hundreds of dollars and an alpaca coat, thousands. Alpacas are quite rare, with only about 12,000 on the North American continent today. However, it is an increasing population, have risen from about 5,000 in 1993.