When most people think of alpacas, they see in their minds eye the huacaya. Huacayas (pronounced wa-KAI-ya) have the fluffy teddy bear appeal that many associate with alpacas and are the more common of the two types. They comprise about 80% of the U.S. alpaca population. 

These beautiful animals are characterized by their fluffy fleece. The fiber grows outward from the alpaca's body and is so thick and crimpy that it forms halo of fleece all around the animal giving them their "cuddly" appearance. The fiber is soft and strong and generally crimpy throughout. It looks a lot like Corriedale and Romney sheeps wool (without the lanolin). At the microscopic level, the scales on follicle of the hair of the huacaya fiber are irregular and slightly serrated (though still smoother than sheeps wool) which helps it "grip" in processing and take dyes well.

When commercially processed, huacaya fiber can be processed either using the woolen or worsted process and produces a soft, lofty thread or yarn. It's ideal for knitted wear or soft tweeds.

 Huacayas come naturally in a wide array of colors with white, brown, and black being the most common.

There's nothing quite like a suri in full fleece, with its locks blowing in the breeze. Suris (pronounced SUR-ee) are the rarer of the two types of alpacas and comprise about 20% of the U.S. alpaca population.

These elegant animals are characterized by their draping locks. You can see how the fiber hangs down rather than looking wooly and round like on huacayas. This fiber is slick and straight with little or no crimp and has a high degree of sheen. It looks a lot like Angora goat fiber. At the microscopic level, the scales on follicle of the hair of the suri fiber are smooth edged and one directional giving it this slickness.

When commercially processed, suri fiber is almost always processed using the worsted process, which results in a thin, hard thread which is used in making gabardines and crepes. Suri fiber brings a premium price on the world market because of its scarcity and unique characteristics.

Because of the hang of the fiber, suris often look more delicate than their huacaya counterparts, but they are every bit as well boned and muscled. Weights and proportions are about the same for both types of alpaca.

Traditionally, most suris were white, but U.S. alpaca breeders have been selectively breeding since the animals were imported to the United States to produce colored suris and now many colored suri alpacas are available.