WHAT IS BABY ALPACA ?
Baby Alpaca is the silky natural fiber obtained from Alpacas’ wool. These cute animals are camelids, close relatives of the better known llamas. Alpacas live in the Peruvian Andes, around 4800 meters above sea level where they endure extreme weather conditions thanks to the extraordinary properties of their wool. Contrary to what we might think, the Baby Alpaca fiber does not come from the fleece coat of the young animals, but from the adult Alpacas at least 2 years old. So, which is the difference between the Alpaca wool and the Baby Alpaca wool?
The distinction comes from the wool selection. The fiber called Baby Alpaca is obtained from the back of the animal, and this filament does not exceed 23 microns which guarantees its quality. It is estimated that an Alpaca will only offer this type of fiber during the 4 years following its first shearing. It is definitely a peculiar and precious yarn that is obtained following a very ancient tradition.
Our clothes are incredibly soft but we knew that for the coldest months of the year, we had to complement them with some natural fiber that would make them warmer. This is the reason behind our choice of using Baby Alpaca as our second star component.Baby Alpaca is one of the strongest natural fibers that exists, it has all the qualities that a textile should have.
It is organic, biodegradable, hypoallergenic, highly resistant, silky and has natural thermal properties that many synthetic garments try to imitate.
Baby Alpaca’s characteristics
1. Thermal properties
At birth, Babies do not have the capability to clearly communicate their temperature and we know that this is a very common concern among parents… “Will he/she be warm? Will he/she be cold?” Baby Alpaca has the ability to keep you warm in cold environments and to let the skin breath on warmer days and environments. This thermal property is attributed to the microscopic pockets of air contained by the fibers. Therefore, Baby Alpaca is the perfect fiber to help you maintain an ideal and constant temperature.
2. A soft fiber
An adult Alpaca generates three types of fiber: fine, medium and coarse. Like
Pima Cotton,
Baby Alpaca is considered a
very fine and soft filament, similar to silk. With this special wool we provide warmth to garments without losing the softness that characterizes our brand. Alpaca wool is
selected by hand in the
Peruvian farm Michell. The selection technique is handed down from generation to generation since ancient times. We like to think that with our choice we preserve
indigenous culture and we value human talent.
3.Sustainable textile production
The textile industry is the second most polluting industry in the world. However, our Baby Alpaca supplier, Michell, was the pioneer company worldwide in the alpaca industry as it was the first farm to obtain the organic certificate for soils, pastures, animal welfare, fibers and the processing. This certificate also ensures the social well-being of the human capital involved in the entire production process.
We are proud to confirm that our garments are biodegradable, meaning they do not generate polluting waste. In addition, only little amounts of water and energy are used for their production, animal welfare is certified and presence of chemicals is not detected.
4. Hypoallergenic fabric
We need to bear in mind that babies, after their birth, pass through a humid and protected environment, to a dry one and full of external organisms. Indeed, our babies must go through an adaptation process and we want to help them by offering garments made of natural fibers and free of chemicals.
Baby Alpaca, in addition to being a natural fiber, is not very greasy and is free of lanolin, an allergen present in sheep wool, which often causes intolerance in babies with atopic skin.
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