For a long time, alpaca wool has been prized for many of its fine qualities and been a staple of luxury for centuries. However, not all alpaca fleece is the same. The alpaca fiber value depends on its color, fineness, texture, and other factors. Many alpaca wool products are available at different prices.
Being one of the most exclusive and sought-after types of wool, alpaca is rare and in high demand. Alpaca fiber comes in 22 natural colors that range from black and brown to grey and ivory. They can easily be dyed or mixed to get interesting color combinations.
Alpaca fleece is very soft so that it even feels like silk on the touch. It is a fabric that provides a three times warmer feeling than the merino sheep’s wool. It is naturally waterproof, free of oil, hypoallergenic, and an excellent choice for those who have sensitive skin and suffer from irritations.
Why is alpaca considered luxury?
Alpacas are delicate animals that come from the family of camels. As there are two different breeds of alpacas – Suri and Huacaya, the fleece of each of them are a bit different. Suri alpacas are covered with silky long locks, while the Huacaya alpacas have a full and soft fleece. The alpaca fleece is unique in many different ways, providing excellent features which combined make it luxurious.
Alpaca’s wool is thin and airy. It is warm even when it is wet and it can also effectively resist sun radiation. That is what makes these animals survive tough weather conditions with big temperature changes. An adult alpaca can produce no more than 10 pounds of fiber per year.
This fiber comes from 18 to 25 microns in diameter. As the fiber is thinner, it feels and looks more luxurious. That is why the wool of the youngest alpacas is considered the most precious and used for the production of the warmest clothing.
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Classifying alpaca fiber
Once the alpaca fleece is sheared, the fibers are separated and classified based on the three most important features: fineness, length, and color. People who do this are trained alpaca fiber sorters and are usually women. They do this by hand and sight.
They are specialists in this process. They know how to find the different qualities of fiber by feeling their fineness. This is much better than measuring the diameter of each fiber under a microscope. By doing this, they can distinguish different types of alpaca fiber – one of them being – royal alpaca.
Royal alpaca
There are six to seven different categories of alpaca wool, but only three are used for clothing. Royal alpaca is one of those fibers that are considered luxurious and the softest for clothing production.
Royal alpaca, also known as “super baby alpaca”. It has a diameter of 18 microns or less and is the finest and softest fiber in the alpaca categories. The royal alpaca fiber is located on the back of the alpaca. It is the least common wool type which makes it the most expensive on the market. The products that come from royal alpaca are usually scarves or sweaters.
Because of its rarity and the uniqueness of the fiber and the wool itself, the royal alpaca wool is considered premium wool. The softness and the extraordinary feeling it provides on the skin make it highly demanded and wanted wool.
As mentioned above, some of the best products that come from royal alpaca are fashion accessories such as shawls, and products like throws and blankets. The main purpose of all of these is to keep the body warm, and that should be done most comfortably and softly.
Silkeborg Uldspinderi has a huge and varied offer of the most unique shawls and throws, very needed garments during the colder days. Premium alpaca throws are soft to the skin, with a silky touch and providing excellent warmth. Above all, they are stylish and fashionable. Premium alpaca throws can serve different purposes around the house, with the most important one is keeping you warm and cozy.
In Silkeborg Uldspinderi we are here to help you. You will have at your disposal many high-quality products. If you want to buy any alpaca scarves, shawls, cushions, or throws, please don’t hesitate to contact us through our contact page.
