If you follow us on Instagram, you will have seen the paddling pool. What began as an experiment quickly became the most popular spot on the farm, a splash pool full of alpacas, cooling their bellies in the July heat.
Alpacas are remarkable animals, but they are built for the Andes, not an English heatwave. Their fleece, the very alpaca wool that becomes our knitwear is a superb insulator, which means summer care is something we take seriously.
Here is what hot weather care looks like at Grainmarket Alpacas.
Shade first. Alpacas naturally conserve energy in heat. Ours spend the hottest hours sitting in the shade, and we make sure every paddock has access to it, trees, field shelters, airflow.
Water everywhere. Fresh drinking water is checked and refreshed constantly. And yes, the paddling pool. Alpacas lose heat through their bellies and legs, so shallow water they can stand or sit in makes a genuine difference as does a gentle shower from the hose for those who enjoy it. Some absolutely do. Some absolutely do not!
Timing matters. Shearing happens before peak summer, so the herd carries a light coat through the hottest weeks. The fleece we take becomes the alpaca wool jumpers, wraps and loungewear you see in our collections and the animals are more comfortable for it.
Observation, always. Because we know our herds by name, we notice quickly when something is off. Heat stress shows in subtle ways, and daily hands-on care means nothing gets missed.
Welfare is not a marketing line for us. It is the foundation of everything because calm, healthy, well-cared-for alpacas produce the soft, lustrous fibre that makes British alpaca wool so special.
From the Alpaca to the Apparel. Nothing is hidden.