The aim of this preliminary investigation was to quantify the components of Chaku llama fleeces, the time taken to separate the fine fiber component and to estimate the economics of the manual dehairing process. Fleece samples were obtained from 8 adult and 7 young llama grazing at Huancavelica, Peru. Each fleece was divided into the two sides and then into 7 areas corresponding to the body sites. Later in the laboratory the samples were manually sorted into three components: fine fiber, coarser fibers and impurities, which were weighed. The time taken for 7 previously trained people to performed the manual fiber separation of all samples from 10 fleeces was recorded. The data analysed using 7 sampling site x 2 age factorial design. Tukey and Duncan tests were used to compare means. The mean fine fiber yield was higher for the saddle (anterior, central and posterior) and neck sites (69-73 %) compared with the remainder of the fleece (64-65 %). Age of llama did not affect fine fiber yield. However younger llama produced lighter fleeces compared with adult llama. While there was no effect of fleece site on the average rate of fiber dehairing (9.9 g/h, 79 g/ day), there was a large range between people and samples (4-19 g/hour). This suggests that there is a combination of samples and people where the rate of fiber separation is twice the average. Economic analysis showed tha labor cost for manual separation of 1 kg of fine fiber was 141.45 USD $, which contrasts with the market price of fine llama of 7.14 USD $. Including all costs, the ratio of benefits/costs was 0.05. It was concluded that the manual dehairing of llama fiber was not economic, and for economic development it is necessary to develop mechanical dehairing processes.