Textiles of Peru Part 2: The Process From Fleece to Yarn

24-03-2025

In Part 1 we covered how the Incas of Peru prized alpacas for their high quality fibres, but that’s not all, the traditional process of transforming fleece into yarn was considered a craft of high esteem.

Before annual shearing took place the Incas would make an offering to Mother Earth and the Gods to bless the proceedings. Offerings would consist of seeds, grains, herbs, blossoms, and even dried llama foetuses.

The process…

Shearing: Alpaca shearing takes place once every year, depending on several factors such as the quality of the fleece, health of the alpaca and purpose of the fibre. Shearing in Andean villages is a collective effort that usually takes place between January and April using scissor-like shears. The task requires great strength and skill as the animals need to be restrained so they are not harmed in the process. To an outsider this can look severe with two people restraining and one shearing, however the process is necessary for the animals health and is often over within 10 to 30 minutes depending on the experience and skill of shearer.

Sorting: The fleeces are bundled into similar colours and hand sorted. Traditionally Peruvian women learn to sort alpaca fibre from a young age gaining experience and becoming adept at the task when they become young adults. Men are exempt from sorting, the procedure is entirely done by hand, removing matter, clumps of short fibres and grading its fineness within a 6-point scale.

Combing: The fleece is repeatedly combed to remove finer particles of vegetative matter and shorter fibres. Combing also prepares and aligns the fibres so that they are ready for spinning.

Carding: Is another process similar to combing. The fleece is passed through a drum carder to align the fibres, however it is widely reported the carding method is not as thorough as combing and creates yarn that is not as smooth.

Spinning: The process of turning raw wool into yarn is spinning. Traditionally used in Peru is the drop spindle, similar to a wooden top. The drop spindle varies in size depending on the diameter of the thread being spun. The drop spindle process is: spin, park, pinch, draft, release and wind on. This act of twisting to create strong and constant threads is a method that is passed down through the generations. Many Andean women multitask spinning with chatting, watching their animals, and even walking, however it is often an overlooked skill that requires passed on knowledge and experience.

Washing: As alpaca’s wool is lanolin-free washing takes place once the yarn has been created. Washing earlier in the process, as with sheep’s wool, makes the fibre too slippery to handle and spin. To wash the yarn Peruvians use plant-based detergents such as Illmanke, a plant that is pounded and mixed with water to create a foamy wash. The yarn is then hung to dry naturally.

Dyeing: The yarns are ready to use in their natural tones or can be dyed to achieve a variety of colours. The Incas developed dyes using plants, minerals, insects and molluscs. Core colours were black, white, green, yellow, purple, red and orange. Each colour had a specific association and the Inca’s used weaving and embroidery like a language. To dye the yarn the organic matter was crushed and boiled and a mordant, such as a mineral salt, added, the yarn is then placed into the pot to soak in the dye. This is then rinsed until the yarn no longer bleeds colour and then hung to dry. The knowledge and skill of achieving each vibrant colour is a tradition that is passed on through the generations.

While the convenience of synthetic dyes has become commonplace there has been a renewed interest in revisiting these age-old, traditional, slow-fashion techniques that have far less environmental impact and provide respectful preservation of traditional processes.