About Alpaca

Think of the softest natural thing you ever touched and it unfortunately won’t come close to the experience of running your fingers through an Alpaca product. No wonder Alpaca apparel were only reserved for the Inca Empire nobles. 

Born and forged in the near to Heaven Peruvian highlands; beneath clear skies, harsh winds and low temperatures with a daily spread up to 77° F.; these are the regular conditions in the Peruvian highlands where the tough and versatile Alpaca lives and where its unique warm fiber evolved to keep Alpacas safe and warm, while thriving in these hostile yet wonderful lands. 

As a result of millions of years of adaptation and evolution, Alpaca fleece has gathered a series of features that has turned it into one of the finest textile fibers in the world. Amongst these features, Alpaca accounts to be as soft as, and even more than merino wool and cashmere; being more durable, warmer, hypoallergenic, odor and flame resistant. Alpaca fiber has small air pockets all along its length, which keeps warm air within to perform as insulation from cold. It does not contain any lanolin (wool wax) preventing it thus from holding dust and microscopic allergens which makes it hypoallergenic and suitable for people that have wool based allergies. Alpaca fibers are not prickly or itchy as regular wool, hence being delicate and soft for comfort, and kind to delicate skins. 

 

A little background and context:

Around 6000 years ago, much before Inca Empire times, ancient Peruvian civilizations started domesticating and raising Alpacas as a valuable resource as beasts of burden, protein source and of course, its precious fleece. Alpaca is just like sheep, goats and other cattle; and as such, ancient Alpaca Farmers had to learn how to give them the best care possible. Heirs of these millenary knowledge, today’s Alpaca Farmers take care of their Alpaca herds well knowing the benefits they bring to their way of living.

Alpacas are shorn yearly, mostly in October - November (Southern Spring time) when all the conditions are most favorable. The sale of the fleece is the most profitable Alpaca Farmer activity; who can also eventually profit from selling the alpaca hides whenever an Alpaca dies out of natural causes, due to the inherent species new born mortality or to old age; since no Alpaca is killed for its precious fiber yielding.

 

In short:

Alpaca fur and wool are the best choices for luxury, warmth and comfort not only because Alpaca products are absolutely ethically sourced, but also because they are the greener luxurious products you can get, since Alpacas are the native cattle of the Peruvian Andes and they graze freely in small herds; Alpaca Farming has zero impact in the ecosystem.