Alpaca wool yarn overview

Fashion is a fickle phenomenon, but knitted products made from high-quality wool do not lose their relevance. There are different types of yarns for each season. Woolen is the perfect choice for cool weather.

Now you can choose almost any composition of yarn, but the material from alpaca wool is very popular. Products made from such yarn are guaranteed to be warm, aesthetic, soft, delicate in texture, lightweight, and very comfortable in them.

First, you need to figure out what an alpaca is. This is an animal that visually resembles a llama; alpacas are bred for the sole purpose of collecting high-quality wool. Alpaca is a rather rare animal, it does not live all over the world. In fact, the natural location of animals is the Andes. At altitude, in the mountains, the temperature regime is very unstable, so hot days and very cold nights are common.

Thanks to these features, animal hair has the highest level of thermoregulation. It is this quality that gives it great value. In modern conditions, alpacas are bred on both American continents. But the quality of products often leaves much to be desired, although the price is very affordable.

Alpaca yarn is made in the same way as other types of wool:

• the animal is sheared, usually twice a year, from one copy you can get from 3 to 7 kg of material;
• then they start processing, sort the fibers by color and diameter;
• the cover is cleared of unnecessary additions, debris;
• the wool is combed and then spun;
• in the end they wash, sometimes paint.

Thanks to this processing, the properties of the material are retained for a very long period. In its pure form (100 percent alpaca wool), such yarn is rarely sold. The description of the composition most often contains additives - chemical or natural. The most common combinations:

• with silk;
• with merino;
• with acrylic;
• with polyamide;
• with viscose.

The additives ensure optimum yarn quality and reduce the cost of the yarn on the market. Yarn with silk is more airy, tender and silky, but its cost is rather big. The yarn is sold in different forms - skeins, balls, bobbin. Previously, products made from this wool could only be afforded by very wealthy people. Today you can buy a skein of wool and knit or order a high quality product at an affordable price.

The properties of the alpaca wool material are very valuable, it is not for nothing that it is considered unique.

• First of all, it is valued for its durability. Despite the fact that yarn weighs less than sheep material, it is 3 times stronger than the latter. Therefore, things made from such wool are lightweight, but very durable.
• Thin fibers of an even structure provide softness to the product. The thing turns out to be pleasant to wear, silky, delicate. Moreover, such yarn does not creak, but it shines very effectively.
• Since wool is water-repellent, it hardly absorbs moisture. This increases the comfort of the product.
• There are no allergenic substances in the wool, such as organic fats... Accordingly, it is recognized as hypoallergenic. Thanks to this property, wool is suitable for making clothes for children.
• Products made from this type of wool are practically not susceptible to the formation of pellets and other visual defects. Therefore, things retain their original appearance for a long time.
• The color range of wool is quite extensive in its natural design. Therefore, they rarely paint it. 20 natural colors are enough, you can buy yarn in black, white, gray, brown, beige, silver.

Despite the obvious advantages, there are also disadvantages that are worth mentioning.

• First of all, this is the high cost of the yarn itself and products made from it.
• The lack of organic fats is perceived not only as a plus, but also as a minus. Indeed, due to the fact that wool does not contain lanolin, it does not have the medicinal properties inherent in sheep specimens.
• In addition, the yarn does not hold its shape very well in the elastic version. Knitters note that you need to adapt, take thinner knitting needles and create a tight knit, weave additional synthetic threads.
• Another disadvantage is that products made from natural wool require special care.

As for the varieties of the animals themselves, there are only two of them. Visually, they are very similar, all the difference lies in the structure of the wool, the length of the fibers.

• Suri... This is the rarest variety that is rarely bred. Animals of this species have an elongated thin type of coat. Moreover, the fibers at the ends curl rather unusually. Wool of this type is valued higher, respectively, and the cost of yarn, products from it is much more serious.
• Huacaya... Such representatives of the animal world are much more common, this is the most numerous category. Wool is cheaper, more than 90% of yarn and products are made from this type.

Alpaca wool is classified according to the fiber thickness category:

• "Royal" - the diameter of this thread is not more than 19-20 microns;
• "Baby" - diameter of about 22.5 microns, this option is of high quality, softness;
• "Adult" - the diameter of the thread is approximately 32 microns.

The diameter depends on the age of the animal, the older it is, the tougher the material, it loses some of its silkiness, and the value decreases. The most valued diameter is up to 25 microns, but the diameter exceeding 34 microns is already comparable to the fibers of a llama's wool.For one year, the diameter can increase in size in different ways, usually the diameter grows from 1 to 5 microns per year.

Peru is a permanent supplier of woolen products to the world market. It is from this country that about 4 thousand tons of finished material comes on sale every year. In addition to Peruvian wool, you can find Chilean, Bolivian, Argentinean, as well as goods from the USA, Australia, and New Zealand on the market.

As for the manufacturers of fabrics with alpaca wool, Italy is among the leaders here. It is in this country that a very high-quality and valuable fabric is produced, which has an elite level. If we talk about yarn, then the following brands are presented on the market.

• Morelano Is the oldest wool factory that combines old traditions with new technologies. The products are declared as environmentally friendly, the quality is at a high level.
• Alpaca peruana Is one of the few brands that produces pure yarn with 100% alpaca wool.
• Drops Is another manufacturer that produces 100% yarn. In addition, there are many variations in the assortment with different additives.

It is very important to properly care for things made from this type of wool. Otherwise, the product is unlikely to serve you for a long time and retain its original appearance. First of all, you need to organize the correct washing:

• hand wash only;
• water should be either cold or room temperature;
• machine wash is allowed only in cold water, without spinning, on a delicate cycle;
• you need to wash such products not too often, wearing things more than 7 times is allowed;
• it is important to use powder and other delicate products, only liquid in composition are suitable;
• rinsing is carried out in cold water;
• give up squeezing, especially machine wringing, dry things in their natural form;
• the product is laid out on a table or other surface, a natural shape is created;
• do not dry the thing next to heating appliances, in direct sunlight;
• the item is laid out on a terry towel, which, after absorbing water, must be changed to dry.

After washing, care should also be delicate:

• ironing unnecessarily is not needed, if you cannot do without it, it is carried out strictly from the inside out;
• when ironing, be sure to use a wet cloth, through which you iron with an iron;
• in order for the pile to take on its original appearance, you need to work it out carefully with a brush or sponge;
• under no circumstances store the product using chemicals, naphthalene, use cedar, lavender, tobacco moths of a natural type.