Baby Alpaca Qualities and Advantages

Image by Götz Friedrich.

Baby alpaca wool does not come from the babies of alpacas. Baby alpaca is only the name of the wool sheared from the neck and chest of alpacas, because these are the parts of alpacas that have the second* finest fleece. Despite of that, baby alpacas are usually sheared from alpacas younger than two years old also because of fleece quality.

​Baby alpaca fleece is very gentle to skin because it is soft and silky. It is lighter than other wools and up to 7x warmer than sheep wool. On the other hand we can wear clothes made with alpaca yarn during warmer days because it is also very breathable. Another advantage of Alpaca wool is that it does not retain bacterias that causes the odor of weared clothes. This means that we can wear it for longer and wash less frequently.

Alpaca wool is convenient for wet days because it is water repellent but it is also flame retardant. The fibers are extremely durable; a well-made alpaca blanket can last a very long time. Another plus is that alpaca has a low environmental impact compared to other natural fibers.

Alpaca wool is not prickly like sheep wool and is much less prone to pilling. Because it contains no lanolin, it is hypoallergenic.

​*As said at the beginning, baby alpaca is the second finest fleece from alpacas. The first finest fleece is called Royal Alpaca. It is sheared from the back of alpacas. It is the most expensive and the most rare alpaca fleece found in the market. 
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There is a third category of alpaca wool called Superfine Alpaca. It is sheared from the neck and belly of alpacas. Because it has a thicker diameter than baby and Royal Alpaca it is not as soft and silk.

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