Alpaca clothing has been around for centuries, even if it's only recently found its way into more wardrobes outside South America. Here's what's actually worth knowing before you invest in a piece.
What Counts as Alpaca Clothing
Alpaca clothing covers anything made from the fleece of the alpaca, jumpers, cardigans, wraps, scarves, hats, and loungewear. The fibre itself can be spun into varying weights, which is why you'll find everything from lightweight knitwear to heavier outerwear made from it.
At Alpaca Apparel, we focus on loungewear, wraps, and knitwear, pieces designed to be worn at home or layered easily, not formal outerwear.
Why People Choose Alpaca Over Other Fibres
Three reasons come up again and again with our customers:
Warmth without weight. Alpaca fibre is hollow at its core, which traps heat efficiently without the bulk you'd get from a heavier wool.
Softness. Because alpaca contains no lanolin, it tends to feel gentler against the skin than sheep's wool, particularly helpful for anyone who finds traditional wool itchy.
Durability. Well-made alpaca clothing holds its shape and resists pilling far better than synthetic blends.
What to Look For When Buying
Provenance should be the first thing you check. Where was the fleece sourced? Who milled it? Who knitted it? A brand that can answer all three clearly is a brand that's likely paying attention to quality at every stage.
Scale matters too. Smaller production runs tend to mean more care per piece, rather than volume pushed through quickly.
Caring for Alpaca Clothing
Alpaca clothing should be hand washed or gently machine washed on a wool cycle, laid flat to dry, and stored away from direct sunlight. It's also worth protecting it from moths, natural fibres are exactly what they're drawn to.
Why We Make What We Make
We raise our own alpaca herd in the New Forest, so when we say a piece of alpaca clothing is traceable, we mean we can point to the field it began in. That's not a claim many brands can make.
Explore our current collection of alpaca clothing, each style exclusively limited and traceable from the alpaca to the apparel.