Bred 6,000 years ago, alpacas are prized around the world for their fine wool. In fact in many ancient civilizations, their wool was reserved for royalty. It’s no wonder people today are choosing alpaca over other types of wool and fabrics.
Here are a few more reasons why:
Luxurious softness
Often compared to cashmere, alpaca wool’s characteristic softness comes from the fineness of its fibers. Ancient peoples thousands of years ago specifically bred alpacas from wild vicunas in order to have soft and non-itchy wool that we still enjoy today.
Warmth without heaviness
Alpacas are native to extreme climates, such as high in the South American Andes Mountains. Out of necessity, they’ve developed wool that keeps them remarkably warm.
Rather than relying on heaviness to keep warm, alpaca wool has air pockets throughout its fibers that give it thermal capacity and retain warmth. This allows alpaca wool to be warm yet lightweight.
What’s more, alpaca wool also keeps cooler on warmer days, thanks again to the air pockets in its fibers. This makes goods like alpaca blankets perfect for year-round use.
Durability
Merino wool is already quite strong, but alpaca wool is twice as strong! Alpaca wool has high tensile strength, or high resistance against breaking under tension. This means it’s difficult to make tears or holes in alpaca wool products.
Alpaca wool is known for its longevity. It is also much less likely to pill because it has longer fibers.
For these reasons and more, alpaca wool is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a high quality, lasting, and soft material.
