Alpaca Royal - 6 dimensions of alpaca knit
Ruukki's Kehräämö sweaters are made of a unique natural fiber whose superior properties surprise you. No other fiber can adapt to such demanding conditions as nature's own luxury product: Alpaca Royal
Land - ecology and ethics
Alpaca farming is ethical and ecological. Free grazing in the Andes mountains, alpacas live in a natural balance with their habitat. The alpaca's soft foot pads do not wear the ground like a hoof, and grazing does not damage the vegetation, but on the contrary supports the diversity of nature.
The high-quality Alpaca Royal fiber enables the production of thin and uniform yarn. That's why Ruukki Kehräämö's sweaters are exceptionally long-lasting. The sweaters do not pucker and they remain neat even with heavy use. They should be in use, because the most ecological clothing is the one that is worn. When the knit reaches the end of its life cycle, the fiber continues to live. Knitwear can be torn back into fibers and recycled for reuse.
Undyed, chemically untreated alpaca fiber is 100% biodegradable.
Water - water consumption and water rejection
The alpaca, like other camelids, can do with extremely little water. Also, the water consumption of alpaca knits during their entire life cycle is lower than clothes made of any other natural fiber. In the spinning process, the fibers are simply washed. Knitting does not consume water at all and no dyeing or post-processing is required. In addition, finished knits need to be washed very rarely.
When it rains, the alpaca fiber does not get wet, because Alpaca wool repels water. Alpaca Royal's undyed products retain the same feature. An alpaca sweater is an excellent piece of clothing for outdoor activities. The drops left by the drizzle can only be shaken off. And even a soaking wet sweater feels warm.
Air - lightness and breathability
In the Andes mountains, alpacas face the extremes of weather phenomena. Alpacas can face all seasons and temperature fluctuations of up to 60 degrees Celsius within the same day. Alpacas can withstand freezing cold winds, because the windproof fiber keeps the skin warm. They can also tolerate scorching heat. How? Alpaca wool is a breathable material. It regulates body temperature like a thermostat, unmatched by any other natural and/or technical fiber
With the blowing air, the alpaca sweater feels surprisingly cool on you. Alpaca fiber wicks moisture better than any technical fiber used in sportswear. Alpaca wool is hypoallergenic and does not contain fat (lanolin) like other wool fibers. That's why Ruukki Kehräämö's sweaters are also suitable for people with sensitive skin. Alpaca Royal is an antibacterial fiber and naturally repels dirt. Cleaning knitwear is easy. Often, just airing is enough to refresh the sweater. If necessary, the alpaca sweater can be washed in the washing machine with the hand wash program or by hand in lukewarm water.
Light - natural UV protection and shine
Alpaca wool's natural UV protection protects alpacas from harmful sun rays. Even a black alpaca can live in a toasty habitat, although the black color absorbs light. Altogether, there are 30 basic colors of alpacas. This guarantees a wide and stunningly beautiful color palette without toxic color processing.
Ruukkin Kehräämö's Alpaca Royal fiber is undyed. Each color is the true color of the original wool producing animal. Non-dyeing is an advantage of fiber, yarn and, above all, the finished knit.
Harsh chemical processes; bleaching, dyeing, post-treatments and washing wear down the fibers and break their surface structure. The inherent properties of the natural, minimally processed alpaca fiber are transferred directly to the garment. That's why Ruukkin Kehräämö's knitwear is not dyed. Let nature shine in its own wonderful colors!
Stone - softness
The alpaca is at home on the rocky plains of the mountains. A thick, dense and soft wool cover protects the alpaca in the rugged terrain. Alpacas are processed to produce as thin and uniform wool as possible. Genes determine the quality of the wool. Royal quality fiber is rare, as only 10% of alpacas produce such fine wool.
The alpaca wool is strongly crimped into wick-like curls. The more crimps per inch the wool has, the higher quality the fiber is. Alpaca Royal's densely crimped fiber makes the yarn flexible and luxuriously soft. Thanks to the elastic yarn, the sweaters keep their shape. Depressions and stretch marks are easily straightened by steaming.
Ice - insulation
Alpacas graze high in the Andes mountains in variable weather conditions. Snow-capped mountains are not a problem for alpacas, because Alpaca wool is warm. The thermal insulation of the high-quality Alpaca Royal wool is 7 times higher than that of other wool fibers. Alpaca fiber is hollow and smooth.
The air trapped between the thin fibers and the hollow structure of the fiber act as insulation. The thinner the fiber is, the better quality yarn can be made from it. Alpaca Royal fiber is 18 microns thick. This premium fiber is 4 microns thinner than the coarser 22 micron Baby Alpaca. That's why sweaters made from Alpaca Royal fiber are especially soft, light and warm.
