This much overdue, but wanted to share with readers some of the key differences between alpaca fiber and other fibers that consumers often confuse with alpaca — cashmere (which actually comes from a goat) and wool (from sheep). Mayu’s hand-knit alpaca scarves and hats are knit with pure Peruvian alpaca. Yup, the real deal — pure, luxurious alpaca!
alpaca
the warmest
eco-friendly fiber; no lanolin oil so no harsh washing chemicals
eco-friendly animal; grazing, digestion
hypoallergenic (if you are alergic to wool, you may not be alergic to alpaca)
high quality; it won’t pill, it will look new forever and it will last a lifetime
shiny, soft and snuggly
scarcity; our alpaca comes all the way from the Peruvian andes
wool (sheep)
less insulating so not as warm as alpaca
itchier and pricklier than alpaca
less durable than alpaca; it just might fall apart
lower quality than alpaca; it just might pill
cashmere (goat)
it is indeed soft but…
known to pill, stretch, cling, wrinkle
contribute to ecological degradation
Tags: Alpaca Fiber, alpaca wool, alpaca yarn, Cashmere, Wool
