Alpaca fibre is not your standard yarn; it is in the VIP section of the fibre club! Alpaca fleece which is fine and lustrous and the result of centuries of selective breeding. Alpacas can only be shorn once a year this in turn creates a scarcity and a demand.
- Alpaca comes in 22 British Alpaca Society recognised natural colours. If you did want a neon pink alpaca sweater, skilled artisans can dye it using natural methods. However, at Herd Alpaca Apparel we do not and will not dye. We don’t need to. We have a super skilled mill owner based in Northern Ireland, and together we go for the blend and see what new colours we can make from what we already have. Here at Herd, we micro produce and keep on regenerating our herd so you can pretty much guarantee that we won't be repeating our exact colours any time soon.
- Alpaca fibre is gentle on sensitive skin. It will give you a lovely hypoallergenic hug! Plus, as it’s lightweight but insulating it’s perfect for chilly days and nights or as a summer cover up. It is incredibly versatile.
- Alpacas are eco-conscious creatures. They graze without damaging the land and their carbon footprint is smaller than a bee’s. When you choose alpaca, you are actively helping us continue to run our small holding regeneratively and sustainably. Our chosen partner mill is also small scale and family run. The Two Rivers Mill admirably uses completely renewable energy to run their machines but the processing costs are high. However, we think this is worth it as we are passionate about bringing the natural organic beauty of alpaca to the world. Once you feel and wear our products you will absolutely agree too.
- Our alpaca products are ethically and sustainably produced. As a small family run business, using the fleece from our own and our local friend’s alpacas we can design and create luxurious, limited-edition runs of unique apparel. So, when you are paying that bit extra you are getting a whole lot more in return. We are passionate about the sustainable fashion movement and are proud affiliates of the Sustainable Fashion Week organisation.
- Alpaca apparel investment is long term. With proper care your garment will last you a lifetime. And if you are done with it, you can either recycle it or just bury it in the soil and it will decompose! How fantastic is that? How can something such good value ever be accused of being expensive!?