Alpaca legwarmers

The Suri alpaca is its own genetic breed. Less than 10% of the world’s alpacas are Suri alpacas. Suri alpaca yarn is produced in Peru, because the majority of the world's Suri alpacas belong to the herds of indigenous peoples living in the highlands of Peru.

Suri alpaca fiber has a very unique structure and is used in the manufacture of some of the world's most valuable fabrics. Its fiber structure allows the production of thin, consistent yarn. The finer the alpaca fiber, the more comfortable it feels against the skin. Alpaca fiber is a grease-free fiber with especially good thermal regulation. The fiber has air pockets, which is why alpaca knits and woven alpaca fabrics are warm, breathable and lightweight. Alpaca fiber repels water and dirt, and does not retain odors.

We import Suri alpaca yarns from Peru. Our partner mill, the Michell Group, ensures ethical alpaca farming. All breeders supplying alpaca fiber to the Michell Group have been awarded the RAS mark (Responsible Alpaca Standard).

The delivery fee within the country is €10. Orders over €150 are delivered free of charge. The delivery fee to other parts of the world is €30. We will ship all orders within 1−6 business days after the order is placed. Read the detailed shipping policies by opening the link.

The customer has a 14-day exchange and return policy. Read the detailed return policies by opening the link.

Notification of the return must be made in advance using the return form or by email to posti@ruukinkehraamo.fi.

The customer is responsible for the costs associated with exchanges and returns unless otherwise agreed.

Knitwear is an easy-to-care-for product: wear it, air it, and wear it. Store knitwear folded loosely in a dry place, protected from pests. Storing on a hanger may stretch the knitwear. Knitwear is easiest to freshen and smooth by steaming. You can also brush the knitwear with a clothes brush intended for delicate knits. Stain removal and/or washing should be done with a wool detergent by hand or in the washing machine's hand-wash program +30°C.

Remember that we offer a repair service for our products. Send us your damaged knitwear and we will repair it free of charge. This way we extend the lifespan of our products together and help protect the environment. And when your favorite knitwear is completely worn out and beyond repair, we will accept it back to be reprocessed into material.

1. Why doesn't our collection include any colorful knitwear at all? 

We want to follow nature's own color palette in our collection. All the shades we use replicate alpaca colors found in nature, of which there are nearly thirty in total. The Alpaca Royal fiber used by Ruukki Spinning Mill is only dyed if that particular color is not available undyed. Dyeing is always done under supervision, using the safest and most responsible REACH- and GOTS-certified methods.

Alpaca Royal -fiber does not require any additional chemical treatments. All chemical processes wear down fibers and damage their surface structure. The less the fiber has been treated, the more its natural properties are transferred directly to the garment.

When knitwear reaches the end of its lifecycle, the fiber lives on. Alpaca fiber is a 100% biodegradable natural product. Knitwear can also be shredded back into fibers and recycled for reuse.

2. Why do our products have a delivery fee?

We want you to avoid making a hasty purchase decision and to be certain of your choice when ordering a product. In Finland, up to 50% of online orders are returned. A shipping fee has been shown to significantly reduce the number of returns. On average, for clothing sold online, the largest emissions come from the product itself (~83%), while transportation accounts for 14% of emissions. If the product is returned, the transport emissions are doubled.

We therefore want to act responsibly toward both our customers and the environment. When you buy less, more thoughtfully and of better quality, the environment and your wallet will thank you. Read more about how transportation affects an e-commerce product's emissions.

3. Why don't we have discount campaigns?

We don't support fast fashion or rushed purchase decisions. FOMO (Fear of missing out) is a commonly used marketing tactic to get customers to buy products they may not need. By limiting an offer to a specific time, consumers are encouraged to make impulsive purchases. Instead, we want you to be satisfied with the purchases you make from us and to use our products for a long time. You can always trust that a product is the same price with us whether you're shopping on Black Friday or on a regular Sunday morning. 

3. How can we guarantee that yarn from Peru is produced responsibly? 

In the Peruvian highlands, alpaca farming is the main source of livelihood. Up to 85% of the indigenous population's income is generated from selling alpaca wool. By buying wool from specific farms, we can ensure that the farmers receive fair compensation for their work. Alpacas play an important role in breaking the cycle of poverty.

Ruukin Kehräämö uses only high-quality and ethically produced, RAS-certified (Responsible Alpaca Standard) alpaca wool. Breeders from Peruvian indigenous communities tend their small herds with respect for nature. The organization we support Quechua Benefit auttaa indigenous people care for both the well-being of their alpacas and their families. For each yarn batch arriving at Ruukin Kehräämö, alpaca fleeces are collected separately from local small farms. Every fiber can be traced back to the farm and even to the individual animal. Breeders receive double the price for Alpaca Royal fiber compared with coarser fibers.

4. How can we guarantee that neither angora rabbits nor alpacas suffer during the harvesting of their wool?

Alpacas and angora rabbits are wool-producing animals. They have been bred to produce wool, like merino sheep. Leaving a wool-producing animal unshorn is harmful to the animal, because the wool does not stop growing at a certain length; instead, long, matted wool makes it difficult for the animal to move and worsens hygiene.

We purchase angora rabbit wool only from domestic farms where combing is done with the animals' welfare in mind and in a stress-free manner. Voit katsoa yhteistyökumppanimme Villiniityn kerintävideon ja tutustua angorakaneihin blogitekstissämme. 

The alpaca wool we use in our craft yarns comes mainly from domestic farms where the alpacas are shorn professionally and without pain. We buy the black alpaca fiber from a Dutch farm Tienda from Molino's alpaca farm. In Peru, the indigenous people have long traditions in both caring for alpacas and pain-free shearing.