Alpaca

What is alpaca?

Sometimes dubbed "the wool of the gods", alpaca is a specific high-quality wool derived from the fleece of the eponymous animals.

It stands out from conventional wool for its insulating power, which is 7 times greater than that of sheep's wool. It's also renowned for being rare, light and soft. It's also the finest wool in existence, measuring between 16 and 25 micrometers in diameter, while sheep's wool measures between 20 and 80 centimeters in diameter.

There are several types of alpaca wool: Alpaca, Baby Alpaca (fibers recovered from the very first shearing) or Royal Alpaca (the finest fibers from Baby Alpaca). Alpaca is mainly used for the production of wool, but it is also used for the production of wool.
Alpaca is mainly used for winter garments such as scarves, sweaters and hats.

Where does alpaca come from?

Alpacas are camelids that live in South America, mainly in Peru, Bolivia and Chile. They live in the Andes Mountains. There are a few farms in France, however, producing around 850 kg of wool a year, compared with a worldwide production estimated at around 5,000 tons a year.

What are the stages in the transformation of alpaca (from animal to garment)

More or less the same transformation principle is applicable to alpaca wool as to other wools.
First of all, the animals are sheared to recover their fleece, and around 2.5 kg of wool is taken from each animal. The artisans then sort the recovered fibers into 2 distinct categories: fibers from the animal's back and flank, known as "blanket" on one side, and fibers taken from the neck, belly and legs on the other.

It is then cleaned of all impurities using a screen which is shaken to remove dust.
The fleece is plucked, i.e. untangled to remove knots and fibers that are too short. As for the finest fibers, craftsmen have to work them by hand.

The fleece is then carded, and the fibers are combed to align them and make them silkier.
The fleece is then spun using a spindle or spinning wheel to create a thread quickly. Finally, the yarns are cut into hanks, a collection of threads, soaked in water and hung to dry. Once dry, it is possible to create balls of yarn. These balls are then used to knit the garment of your dreams.

Are there any other advantages to alpaca?

In addition to its softness and fineness, Alpaca wool has many other advantages.
It has great thermoregulatory properties due to the extreme conditions in which alpacas live in the Andes Cordillera, with temperatures ranging from -25 to 30° in the same day. So you'll stay warm without sweating. It's also hygroscopic, meaning it lets moisture escape and doesn't retain odors.

Wool has the widest range of natural colors, with 200 listed and 22 officially recognized. This multitude of natural colors makes it possible to avoid dyeing and the allergies that can result. What's more, it contains no lanolin, an allergen to which many people are sensitive.
Alpaca fiber is very strong (4 to 7 times stronger than sheep fiber) and elastic, so it hardly ever "pills".

Is alpaca compatible with ethical and responsible fashion?

Using alpaca wool for clothing is compatible with ethical and responsible fashion for a variety of reasons.
Let's start with the breeding of this animal. Alpacas are animals that can be described as "ecological" because they don't uproot vegetation; they simply cut grass with their teeth. They don't damage their pastures, as their feet have no hooves but nails with a small cushion, which enables them to feed in abundance all year round. They are also reputed to have very little appetite: one bale of hay is enough to feed two alpacas a week. What's more, alpacas emit very few greenhouse gases.
Then, if we focus on wool, it's an eco-responsible material because it's sustainable and above all there's no need to dye it with chemical dyes. In fact, as explained above, alpaca is capable of providing some twenty natural colors. From white to black, beige, camel or grey, there's something for everyone!

How to care for alpaca?

To preserve your pretty alpaca sweater for as long as possible, it's necessary to follow these care tips.
First of all, you don't need to wash it after every use; you can clean it after wearing it 4 or 5 times.
Dry-cleaning or hand-washing in water between 10 and 20 degrees is recommended, with a mild shampoo or special wool detergent without using fabric softener. Massage gently and rinse thoroughly.
You can still use the washing machine, but only on a wool or delicate program with a low spin at maximum 400 rpm.
Please note: whether you wash by hand or machine, it's very important to keep the water at a constant temperature to avoid felting the wool.
Drying is best done flat on a dry towel, away from all sources of light.
If the garment requires ironing, you can do so with the garment inside out, at a low temperature, placing a very thin cloth between the iron and the garment as protection.


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