What is the difference between alpaca and baby alpaca?

Are you a fan of alpaca and their miracle wool and want to learn more about them? You may be wondering what is baby alpaca wool and what is the difference with classic alpaca wool?

In this article we will explain everything there is to know about alpaca wool and baby alpaca wool.

alpaga


What is alpaca wool?



The alpaca is an animal from the camelid family.
It is native to the Andes, high mountain plateaus where the temperature varies from one extreme to another. Its hair, the alpaca wool, also called "the wool of the gods" is one of the most prestigious wools in the world.

Indeed, it has many very advantageous characteristics.
First of all, the natural fiber of alpaca is extremely soft. You will love to snuggle up in it as in a cocoon of well-being and comfort. Alpaca wool is also an extremely resistant wool, 4 times more than sheep wool. Your clothes will last over time and will not pilling.

This exceptional fiber is also much warmer and more insulating than sheep's wool, 7 times more to be precise. With alpaca wool you will never be cold!

Speaking of temperature, this wool is also thermoregulatory. That is to say that it will not keep you too hot and you will not sweat in it. This is due to the fact that alpacas are confronted with radical changes in temperature every day. Why do you ask? Alpacas are native to the Andes Mountains. These high mountain plateaus are confronted with radical temperature changes going from one extreme to the other in a few hours. Alpacas have had to learn to adapt to these changes, thanks to their fleece which protects them from the cold without keeping them too warm when temperatures are too high.

Alpaca fiber is also well known to be used on the most sensitive skins. Indeed, it is hypoallergenic and also antibacterial! When you wear it, you won't get nasty and painful red patches that itch or irritate you. Isn't that great?


cria

What is baby alpaca wool?



Baby alpaca wool, contrary to its name, does not come from the cria (the baby alpaca). In fact, baby alpaca wool comes from all adult alpacas. This incredible fleece comes from a layer of wool hidden beneath the "outer" wool of the alpaca.
This down has the same virtues as the "classic" alpaca wool. Like its thermoregulatory power, its resistance or its antibacterial and hypoallergenic power.
However, it is much finer and measures between 14 and 23 microns.
To illustrate the fineness of this incredible fiber, a hair measures about 60 microns. Thus you can notice that the fiber of the baby alpaca is of an extreme smoothness. Fineness, which can not be appreciated more when it is worn. This fineness makes baby alpaca wool all the more soft and silky than alpaca wool. It is of a very high quality and is a real pleasure to wear.

Baby alpaca fiber is harvested every year between spring and summer. At each harvest, the baby alpaca wool can be harvested up to 2 kilos per alpaca for 3kg for the "classic" alpaca wool. The goat, which produces cashmere, produces a maximum of 80 grams of wool per year.


And that's it! Now you know all about the difference between alpaca wool and baby alpaca wool. Now one question remains: will you succumb to the benefits of these so prestigious wools?