Why choose an Alpaca Royal sweater instead of a regular alpaca sweater?
Alpaca wool has many properties that have made it a luxury material since the time of the Incas until today. Royal grade alpaca fiber is the finest alpaca fiber currently available on the knitting market in sufficient quantities for knitting production. Ruukkin Kehräämö's Alpaca Royal products are made from 100% Royal grade alpaca fiber.
It is estimated that there are over 30 natural colors of alpaca fiber in the world, and it is the only natural fiber that can be completely black without dyeing.
Figure 1. Alpaca fiber color chart. (Photo International Alpaca Association - IAA)
What does the quality of alpaca fiber mean in practice?
The primary quality factor is the fineness of the individual fiber, which is expressed in microns, or thousandths of a millimeter.
To facilitate communication, the different micron levels have been given official names used in the clothing industry, which make it easy to understand how fine the fiber is. The lower the micron number, the thinner the individual fibers and the softer the wool and products made from it feel. For comparison, the diameter of a human hair is about 40-120 microns.
Coarse Alpaca < 30µm
Alpaca ≤ 28µm
Superfine Alpaca ≤ 24 µm
Baby Alpaca ≤ 22 µm
Royal ≤ 18 µm
Quality = Soft and shiny
Fine alpaca wool is soft and non-itchy on the skin, but it should be noted that not all alpaca wool is. Many of the properties of alpaca wool are due to the fineness of the individual alpaca fiber. And the properties deteriorate the thicker the fiber. That is why Royal quality alpaca knitwear feels soft against the skin and does not itch, even if lower quality alpaca wool does.
The high-quality 100% Alpaca Royal knit has a natural sheen due to the fineness of the fiber, which makes the knit elegant and luxurious.
Quality = Insulating and regulating body temperature
Alpaca fiber insulates much better than sheep's wool due to its structure. It does not absorb moisture and has been shown to regulate body temperature. Alpaca does not contain lanolin, which makes it hypoallergenic and antibacterial.
Figure 2. Close-up of alpaca wool. (Photo International Alpaca Association - IAA)
Quality = Water and dirt repellent
High-quality alpaca fiber repels water and dirt, keeping the animal dry and clean. These properties are also preserved in Ruukkin Kehräämö's ecologically produced Alpaca Royal knitwear.
Quality = Lightweight and durable
Alpaca fiber is the third most durable natural fiber in the world in terms of tensile strength, only silk and spider silk are stronger than alpaca fiber. This makes Alpaca Royal products durable, although lightweight. A pill-free yarn and a knit that holds its shape well can only be created from high-quality fiber, which is why Alpaca Royal knitwear is more durable than alpaca knitwear made from lower-quality fiber.
Quality = Responsible
Ruukkin Kehräämö's Alpaca Royal collection uses only ethically produced, RAS-labeled (Responsible Alpaca Standard) and USDA-certified organic alpaca wool. Peruvian indigenous farmers care for their small herds with respect for nature. For each batch of yarn that arrives at Ruukkin Kehräämö, the finest fibers are collected separately from local small farms. Farmers receive better compensation for Alpaca Royal fiber than for coarser quality wools, such as Baby Alpaca.
Alpaca knitwear uses very little water during its life cycle, compared to regular clothing production. 100% Alpaca Royal knitwear is fully biodegradable.
We use lower quality fiber as filling wool, for interior design products and felted products, among other things. Our waste rate is 0%.
