 About Alpaca
My fondness for these amazing creatures stems from their gentle, sociable nature, which makes them delightful companions.
A cousin to the larger (and less friendly) llama, the alpaca is part of the New World Camelid family. Originating from the South American Andes, the alpaca's prized fleece evolved as a result of the high altitude of the animal's native environment, where they have grazed for thousands of years on the Altiplano (high mountain plateau of the Andes) at 3,000 metres and above.The Altiplano is the most extensive area of high plateau outside of Tibet on earth. Alpacas were first domesticated by man some 7,000 years ago. During the Inca civilization, they were prized and traded for their fleece, of which certain grades and colours were reserved only for Inca royalty.
Our mens sweaters are made in Peru and the fibre for our socks (from this autumn onwards) comes from Peruvian alpaca. Although we had wanted to keep all the fibre British it has not been practical to do so. However, the socks will continue to be made in England. We are comforted by the fact that several Peruvian families, who depend on alpaca entirely as their source of income, will benefit from this change of direction.
They are very environmentally friendly animals. On the Altiplano the grazing is unsuprisingly very poor. Alpaca have an extremely efficient digestion which copes well with such a poor diet, their padded feet don't erode the ground and they tend to do their droppings in one area which makes their waste easy to manage (it is used as fuel).
In this way it provides an income for communities who live just on or under subsistence levels and, has done so since time immemorial. Around 2,200 families are involved in alpaca farming above 3,000 metres - an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 people in all who, if not for this, would have no other means of earning a living.
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 Properties of Alpaca Fibre
Alpaca's unique hollow fibre is incredibly lightweight and warm. The Alpaca on the Altiplano have to cope with an arid environment with temperatures ranging from 24°C in the summer to minus 20°C in the winter months.These high insulating properties are perfectly suited for clothing that are also naturally breathable.
Second only to silk for strength, alpaca is comparable to the luxurious softness of cashmere yet more durable and far more hardwearing than both. It has a unique feel to it and seems softer to actually wear than anything else.
Being smoother than wool, alpaca has a very low prickle factor; if you can't wear 'itchy' wool alpaca provides a superior alternative.
Hypoallergenic qualities with no lanolin content, alpaca is ideal for babies and sensitive skins.
Natural, breathable, antibacterial fibre (naturally repels bacteria and odour) means you can wear a pair of socks for weeks (should you feel the need!) and they remain odourless and soft. Perfect for the mountaineer or long distance sailer where sock changes are impractical. Embrace the arrival of long-life socks!
The fleece has an attractive lustre that's available in 22 recognised natural colours from palest champagne to black. Pale fibre can also be easily dyed and is colour fast.
Machine washable on a wool cycle - we recommend 30°for scarves and wraps and up to 40° for socks. It is not heat that ruins fine wools it is agitation.
Sandra Morton - Perilla
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