A South American relative of the camel, the Alpaca lives in the Andean highlands under extreme climatic conditions at elevations of 4000 to 6000 meters (13,000 to 20,000 ft). On a single day, the animal may be exposed to snow, hail, rain, a burning sun, and nightly temperatures that could reach minus 30 Celsius (-22F).
But nature has prepared it well: a silky, glowing, unusually fine but nonetheless sturdy and elastic hair protects it from the harsch environment. Unlike wool or cashmere, the hair of the Alpaca is hollow. It's this inner air that gives the alpaca fiber its' ability to transfer warmth warmth across the body.