Alpaca yarn is one of the finest luxury materials in the world, and was reserved for Inca royalty in the Peruvian Andes. Alpacas have been domesticated in this region for over 5000 years, and were utilized by the Incas for almost everything, including transportation, food and fuel. Nowadays they are mainly used commercially for their yarn.

 

The antique Moche civilization and the Incas of Peru often used alpaca images in their art. The vicuna also native of South America is believed to be the wild ancestor of the alpaca. 

Along with camels and llamas, alpacas are classified as camelids. Of the various camelid species, the alpaca and vicuna are the most valuable fiber-bearing animals: the alpaca because of the quality and quantity of its fiber, and the vicuña because of the softness, fineness and quality of its coat.