A few words about Alpaca wool
Alpaca wool is known to have numerous beneficial properties. Like the fact that its fiber is 4 times stronger than sheep wool. Therefore, you don't have to worry about your garment deteriorating from wash to wash (if the following instructions are followed correctly). On the contrary, Alpaca has a very long life, buying a garment or accessory made from Alpaca wool is a long-term investment because its original condition will hold for years.
Alpaca wool does not retain odours or dust so you can afford to wash your alpaca clothing and accessories at the end of the season (after wearing it 4 or 5 times) to avoid the proliferation of dust mites. Airing your Alpaca wool frequently will give it a clean bill of health naturally.
Caring for Alpaca wool clothing and accessories
Hand-wash
The best way to wash a garment made from Alpaca wool is by hand.
Beware of jewellery and fingernails that may snag during the care of the Alpaca wool. We advise you to remove them or put on a pair of latex or plastic gloves.
It is essential to use a mild shampoo and delicate or a special wool product, with as little detergent as possible. If you neglect this essential element, you may be disappointed with the result after washing.
We recommend the dry cleaning or the hand wash in warm water (from 10°C to 20°C), with a mild shampoo. Even though it is stronger than other wools, Alpaca wool is still delicate.
When washing Alpaca wool you must ensure that you maintain a constant temperature otherwise the wool will tend to spoil faster or even shrink.
A little tip to avoid temperature fluctuations: leave the water running throughout your cleaning and rinsing.
For machine washing, it is recommended that you put your garment in a pillowcase or protective cover to prevent it from warping. Selecting the "wool" or "delicate" mode is strongly recommended. The temperature should be 20°C maximum and the spin very low (400 rpm maximum).
No twist wringing
When spinning your garment, there is no need to wring it out, just press lightly to release the water from the garment or wring it out with a towel by toweling it.
Drying flat and in the shade of the sun
It is strongly discouraged to place alpaca wool items in the dryer or to hang them up. It is best to let it air dry flat on a towel. This will avoid stretching the wool fibres and damaging your clothes. Avoid the sun!
Occasional, soft touch
Ironing is generally not necessary as Alpaca wool is known for its ability to not wrinkle. However, if you wish to iron your garment, we advise you to put it inside out and use a cloth between the iron and the garment to preserve its appearance and fibres. You will also need to adjust the heat of your iron by turning it on to wool mode. You should not leave the iron on for more than a second in the same place to avoid burning the wool.
Alpaca wool fibres
Warning: the coloured Alpaca wool fibres could, during the first few washes, slightly stain your water. We therefore recommend that you wash them alone or with clothes of the same colour.
Following these guidelines will allow you to keep your Alpaca wool accessories and clothing for years. And remember that Alpaca wool is known to embellish over time if it is well cared for. So long live your clothes!
