Warmer, Softer, Stronger...
Alpacas! Not just a beautiful face. Alpaca fleece is some of the warmest, softest and strongest natural fiber on earth. These characteristics combine to make Alpaca one of the most wearable natural fibers.
Warmer: Alpaca is up to 7 x warmer than sheep's wool. The insulative factor of Alpaca makes it ideal for cold weather gear like mittens, hats, and socks. It can also be used as the lining for vests and jackets.
Softer: The size of Alpaca fleeces ranges from 12-40 microns. In comparison-human hair is generally around 70-100 microns. Elite breeding in the US alpaca herds has brought the micron average down significantly since the importing starting in the 1980's. Coupled with breeders focusing on the "handle" of the fleece most breeders also are working on breeding out the "Prickle factor" that is caused by guard hairs. Alpaca is also naturally lanolin free-meaning the oil that is present in sheep's will does not exist in Alpaca. This makes it very rare for people to be allergic to alpaca and helps with the softness.
Stronger: The average tensile strength of alpaca is 50 N/ktex. Alpaca also has a high Shear strength. These two strengths make Alpaca ideal for garments and socks. The high tensile strength makes fabric withstand wear and stretch. The high shear strength makes Alpaca ideal for socks and other items that need to withstand constant rubbing or friction. Because of these strengths Alpaca fleece can be spun into a much lighter thread allowing for lightweight garments that are able to withstand more than average wear and tear.
Alpaca fiber is AMAZING!! There is recent research that shows Alpaca fleece has Antimicrobial properties. This is great news for our SOCKS!! You can cut down on washing because those socks don't stink-they simply don't grow the stinky bacteria that cotton or synthetic socks do.
Check out our farm store to purchase Alpaca products. Come visit the farm and get your hands on some of the softest animals around!
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