Alpaca. Our Passion.
For over 4500 years, alpaca has been valued in the Andes of Peru. The fine fiber structure with natural air pockets ensures that alpaca keeps you warm when it's cold and remains pleasantly cool when temperatures rise.
sustainable
Soft
Natural Pure
Breathable
durable
Fine & hard-wearing
About Alpaca Fiber
Alpaca is a sustainable, wonderfully soft, and super lightweight natural fiber with optimal wearing properties. The animals themselves live in a very environmentally friendly way.
Alpacas live in the highlands of the Peruvian Andes at altitudes of 3000 to 5000 meters and spend their lives outdoors year-round. They are considered particularly environmentally friendly, as they only nibble the blades of grass while grazing and, thanks to their soft soles, hardly impact the ground.
Once a year, the animals are gently sheared, and afterwards, the fibers are sorted by hand according to color and fineness.
The further processing is also comparatively resource-efficient: Due to the low lanolin content, alpaca fiber requires less energy and chemicals for cleaning than many other animal fibers.
Our alpaca fiber comes from the Andes of Peru. Thousands of small farmers live there from traditional alpaca breeding. The animals are kept outdoors year-round and cared for in a species-appropriate manner.
The shearing takes place once a year and lasts only a few minutes. Afterwards, the fibers are carefully sorted by hand. In our production facilities in Cusco and Lima, the alpaca fiber is then further processed.
Since only about 4000 tons of alpaca fiber are produced worldwide each year, it is one of the rarest natural fibers.
Alpaca is one of the few natural fibers with such a wide range of natural colors. The fibers come in about 22 natural colors and up to 60 shades – from pure white to various shades of brown and gray, all the way to deep black.
This natural variety often allows for the avoidance of dyeing processes, thereby conserving resources.
A toast to alpaca fiber
The special properties of alpaca fiber arise from its unique fiber structure. Small air pockets retain heat and create a pleasant body climate.
Additionally, alpaca is antibacterial, odor-neutral, and dirt-repellent, allowing garments to often be simply aired out.
Special fiber structure
A Comparison
The alpaca fiber has a particularly flat scale structure. These scales interlock and provide stability and softness. The fineness of the fiber is measured in microns. The lower this value, the finer and higher quality the fiber is. This fineness contributes to the exceptional comfort of alpaca clothing.
For comparison:
Human hair: approx. 70 microns
Alpaca: approx. 19–27 microns
Royal Alpaca: up to 18 microns
- exceptionally soft
- particularly fine fibers of up to 18 microns
- silky shiny surface
- very light and simultaneously warm
Royal Alpaca is the finest selection of alpaca fibers and belongs to the most exclusive qualities.
Garments made from Royal Alpaca are characterized by a particularly elegant appearance and exceptional wearing comfort.
- particularly soft to the touch
- average fineness of 20–22.5 microns
- light natural sheen
- excellent thermal properties
- wide variety of colors with 22 natural shades
Baby Alpaca is one of the most well-known and high-quality alpaca fibers. The term does not refer to the age of the animal, but to the fineness of the fiber.
These properties make Baby Alpaca one of the most popular fibers for high-quality clothing.
- very soft grip
- fine fibers with an average fineness of 23–26 microns
- subtle natural shine
- warm and shape-stable
Alpaca Superfine is a high-quality type of alpaca fiber with a slightly stronger structure than Baby Alpaca. It combines pleasant softness with good durability.
These properties make Alpaca Superfine particularly suitable for long-lasting knitwear with high wearing comfort.
The Suri alpacas make up only about 6% of the global alpaca population, making them one of the rarest alpaca breeds. Their fleece consists of long, silky fibers that grow in curly strands up to 16 cm in length, giving the animal a particularly elegant appearance.
Baby Alpaca Suri is among the most exclusive qualities of alpaca fiber. The fibers are exceptionally fine, soft, and have a natural sheen. Due to their rarity and special properties, garments made from them have a particularly noble and elegant aura.
Black Alpaca fiber is one of the rarest natural fiber colors in the world. In Peru, the country of origin for alpaca breeding, the number of pure black animals has significantly decreased in recent years and now stands at only around 5,000 animals.
Black Alpaca represents a particularly exclusive selection of high-quality fibers with a natural black color. The fiber impresses with its fineness, uniformity, and noble character. At the same time, the use of this rare fiber helps to raise awareness for the preservation of black alpacas.
The guanaco, a wild relative of the alpaca, provides a particularly fine and warm fiber with a characteristic cinnamon color. The fiber is silky soft, hypoallergenic, and has excellent temperature-regulating properties.
The extraction of guanaco fiber is done using traditional methods of the Andean communities. The fibers are carefully selected and processed by hand to preserve their natural softness and unique luster. Marketing is carried out exclusively under strict protective regulations and is certified by the relevant authorities as well as CITES.
The vicuña is considered a supplier of the finest animal fiber in the world. With a fineness of only about 11 to 13.5 microns, its fiber is exceptionally soft, lightweight, and simultaneously excellent at temperature regulation.
The wild animals are sheared only every two years as part of the traditional Chaccu method, in which they are gently captured and then released again. Only about 125 to 150 grams of fiber can be obtained per animal.
Due to this extremely small quantity, vicuña is one of the rarest and most exclusive natural fibers in the world. The extraction and marketing of the fiber are subject to strict protection regulations and are controlled by the Peruvian Ministry of Agriculture as well as CITES.
Luxury fibers in comparison
Alpaca and cashmere are two luxury fibers – that is not in question. However, the alpaca fiber can surpass cashmere in some aspects.
Alpaca keeps you warm in the cold and cool in the heat. Thanks to fine air pockets, the fiber stores heat particularly efficiently – and is therefore lighter than cashmere at comparable warmth performance.
Alpaca tends to pill and fuzz significantly less than cashmere. The reason for this is the longer, smoother fiber that felts less quickly. Additionally, alpaca is particularly durable and maintains its shape even with industrial processing. Since the fiber contains very little lanolin, it is also well-suited for allergy sufferers. Thus, garments made from alpaca retain their quality and well-groomed appearance for many years.
Cashmere is already a rare natural fiber – however, alpaca is even rarer. While the annual global production of cashmere is about 14,000–15,000 tons, the production of alpaca fiber is only around 4,000 tons.
Overview
Animal fibers
All natural fibers can be classified into either the group of animal fibers or the group of plant fibers. The two fiber groups differ in origin (animal or plant) and therefore also in structure, composition, and properties.
Animal fibers are primarily made of protein and are often referred to as protein fibers. In addition to silk, all kinds of animal hair are included. Generally, animal fibers are warmer, require less cleaning, and are more resistant to mold than plant fibers.
- Fluffy, warming, and lightweight
-> Well suited for winter sweaters and other cozy garments - Prickliness depends on breed, origin, and processing
- Can absorb up to 1/3 of its own weight in moisture without feeling wet
- Self-cleaning function due to fiber structure
-> Airing out is usually sufficient - Can be very elastic
- 18-45 microns
- Naturally occurring lanolin
+ slightly water-repellent
– problematic for allergy sufferers / people with sensitive skin - Greater scale height than alpaca = tends to be scratchier than alpaca
- Cheaper alternative to cashmere
- Between 16 and 25 microns fine
-> Average around 20 - Has similar properties to cashmere
-> Even in the thickest class still soft enough not to itch
-> Often used for baby clothes or blankets - Also frequently used for sportswear
-> Property of not easily absorbing sweat odors
-> Airing neutralizes the odor again - Naturally dirt and water repellent
- Warms even when it is damp
- Greater scale height than alpaca = it itches more than alpaca
- Fluffy softness
- Can be processed to almost 100%
- 13-18 microns
- Fibers are hollow inside
-> Store heat particularly well - Is said to have healing properties -> Rheumatism therapy blankets / health textiles
- Initially sheds
-> But settles down over time - Harvesting & acquisition problematic
- Chinese fur farms
- Animal husbandry
- Shearing of animals
- Special case: is not made from sheared hair, but is produced by an animal
-> Consists of a thread (endless thread) - Very tear-resistant
- Does not scratch at all and is very smooth
- Has no protruding hairs or scales
- Natural shine
- Feels very soft and cool
- Can be very cooling and pleasant in summer
- Be careful with (sweat) stains
- Low shape stability
Frequently Asked Questions
about alpaca fiber
Fair Trade & Sustainability
Our alpacas mostly live in small family herds of 50 to 100 animals in the Peruvian Andes. There are thousands of small farmers who rely on alpaca breeding, lovingly caring for their animals and keeping them outdoors year-round. With plenty of space to roam included.
The shearing traditionally takes place once a year per animal and lasts only a few minutes. Afterwards, the fibers are manually sorted by color and fineness. This traditional selection is a demanding craft that only a few people master.
Our alpaca wool is further processed in our own production facilities in Cusco, Arequipa, and Lima in Peru. Here, we guarantee fair wages, secure jobs, and above-average social security.
Would you like to learn more? Here you can find more information about the fair and sustainable production of the brand APU KUNTUR.
Clothing made from Baby Alpaca
No, of course we do not use the fibers from baby alpacas. The term Baby Alpaca is the name of one of the highest quality levels for alpaca.
Baby Alpaca refers to extremely fine and high-quality alpaca fibers. These are so incredibly fine that they would normally only be found in the very youngest alpacas. To belong to this fineness class, the average hair must not be thicker than 22.5 micrometers (also called microns).
This high fineness provides many incredibly wonderful wearing properties – for example, the silky sheen, high durability, and light wearing feel.
Suitable for Allergy Sufferers
Our alpaca range is particularly well-suited for allergy sufferers! Alpaca wool contains very little wool fat – known as lanolin.
Lanolin is an animal fat found in sheep's wool and can be irritating to the skin. However, since alpaca wool is almost completely lanolin-free, it is ideally suited for allergy sufferers, babies, and people with sensitive skin.
Our alpaca sweaters, cardigans, scarves, hats, gloves, and even thermal underwear can be worn without any concerns.
The Right Care
It is very easy to properly care for alpaca clothing. Alpaca is dirt-repellent and antibacterial. The super-fine structure ensures that odors are absorbed only very slowly and ideally disappear quickly.
If you want to refresh your alpaca sweater after wearing it, simply hang it out to air on the balcony or in the bathroom - instead of washing it completely. After just a few hours, any odors and wrinkles will vanish without a trace!
Additionally, alpaca fiber is very durable. This means it is wrinkle-resistant and, with proper care after washing, will not form pills.
When washing, one should avoid heat and too much detergent – they are actually the biggest enemies of alpaca wool. Since alpaca clothing can quickly lose its shape, it should be washed either by hand or on the hand wash cycle of the washing machine – and it is best to use a gentle detergent for wool.
After washing, simply reshape gently and let it air dry. Do not hang it up, but lay it flat, as hanging would distort the knit and cause it to lose its shape. Also, definitely avoid drying in a tumble dryer, as this will cause the fiber structure to shrink. You can find more helpful tips & tricks here.
