Alpaca wool has some wonderful qualities and as we examine them you will see why we here at Penrose Products love this fibre and use it. One of the reasons and a very important one for us is that alpaca wool is a good insulator and yet helps regulate temperature in our pillows and duvets. Alpaca wool is also naturally anti-allergenic so allergy sufferers will not suffer using alpaca wool products. There are many other reasons too so please read on.
The fibre comes in 22 natural colours and can be blended to produce an almost infinite number of natural colours. The fibre is strong and resilient and the strength does not diminish as it becomes finer.
Whilst alpaca wool may appear similar to sheep's wool it is warmer, not prickly and contains no lanolin which makes it hypoallergenic. It is also water-repellent and is difficult to ignite. The wool from Huacaya alpacas is more elastic and more suited to knitting whereas the wool from Suri alpacas is better for woven goods.
Alpaca wool does not tear easily, pill (form bobbles), or give you static shocks. Products made from alpaca wool will last and so make a good long term investment. It also cleans easily.
There are many advantages to alpaca wool from a producers and product manufacturers view too. After processing, alpaca fleece will produce between 87 to 95 per cent clean fibre and wool between 43 to 76 per cent. The wool can be scoured (cleaned of grease) more easily than sheep wool as there is no lanolin. Sheep wool requires a large amount of water to wash it and hence why the sheep wool industry was established in areas with plenty of water.
Alpaca wool can be made into many products. The fashion designer Armani has used Suri alpaca wool to make men's and women's suits. It can be made into fine lightweight garments or bulky tweeds.
Alpaca wool truly has some outstanding qualities and is becoming more popular as manufacturers and consumers learn more about it.
Here at Penrose Products you can see how we use alpaca wool by taking a look at our quality alpaca products on our website.
