There are alpacas all over Saltaire, carved in stone, wood and metal and sometimes even visiting for real. Our new online exhibition Alpaca wool: From the Andes to the looms of Bradford explains why.
The alpaca is a llama-like animal from South America that has been farmed for its wool for centuries. During the nineteenth century Titus Salt used alpaca wool to develop a hugely successful fabric. It made his fortune and allowed him to build Saltaire and Salts Mill.
Alpacas became the symbol of Salt’s textile business. They are found all over the buildings of Saltaire, on business documentation, on memorabilia, even on the crockery used for royal visits.
Our exhibition reveals the story of how the humble alpaca has been so important to Saltaire: where alpacas are found; how alpaca wool made its way to Bradford; how Salt developed new techniques for using alpaca wool; how the alpaca became the logo of the Salt textile business; how the alpaca symbol spread throughout Saltaire and has an ongoing legacy.