One of the best and the most demanded wool in the world is alpaca wool garments such as Peruvian throws, blankets, scarves, and so on. It is not some trend that is currently blazing through the fashion industry. It has a lot to do with the properties and the benefits of the wool itself.
The alpaca wool is known to be luxury wool. All of that comes from its benefits that also create its price. As a unique type of wool, it has many properties. Those following these blogs know that the alpaca wool comes from the cute alpacas native to the Peruvian region. They are born and bred on unique farms.
Their wool is what makes so much fuss in the world. Like animals that are adapted to live both in the cold and the hot, their wool carries the same properties and benefits. It is excellent both for the summer and winter seasons, which talks about its amazing insulating properties. But, is it stretchy? The good news is yes.
The alpaca wool is stretchy because of two reasons. It has a natural crimp and a smooth fiber. The smooth texture allows the wool to move loosely, and the crimp helps put the fabric back in its natural shape and condition. That speaks a lot about the resilience, also known as memory, the alpaca fiber has. That is why, when wearing an alpaca woolen garment, it will adapt to the body and the fit, but also, get back to its original state.
As mentioned above, a lot of the stretch of the fiber comes from its natural crimp. The crimp of the fiber is also known as fiber curvature. It is just another word for the elasticity of the fiber, and it is measured in single hairs. The hair of the alpaca has a natural crimp, so that also means it has high fiber curvature.
Diving deeper into the stretch property of the fiber, the crimp is what makes the fiber wavy. It also determines whether the wool will be resilient or not. Resilience, on the other hand, is the elasticity of the fiber, and it plays a big part when the fiber bounces back in place. Another important thing about the great look of the alpaca wool is the memory.
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The memory of the fiber is the degree to which the alpaca wool is able to recover after being stretched. The combination of these three words and the properties that they carry to the alpaca wool is what makes and determines a high-quality woolen item. Crimp alone is important, but without resilience or memory, such a garment will not be worth much.
With that being said, one can easily think that all the alpaca wool is the same. So the question is whether all alpacas wool have the same amount of crimp? The answer to that is no. Each breed of alpaca carries a different crimp.
For example, the Suri alpacas have no crimps, while the Huacaya alpacas have regular crimps. This is important, predominantly because of the fluffability of the wool. The fiber of the Suri alpaca is not resilient at all but is still very expensive. That is why such fibers can be used in wool blends or for weaving.
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Stretching is very important when it comes to fashion garments. It is also considered to be a user-friendly property that everyone is looking for. That is because no one likes a garment that cannot adapt a little to the shape and the lines of the body.
Flexibility is what matters and that plays a big role in whether the item will be comfortable or not. That not only applied to the fashion garments made out of alpaca wool, but also to accessories and home items like cushions and blankets.
Just imagine how uncomfortable it will be if you lay your head down on a pillow or a cushion that does not stretch at all. You will feel like you are lying down on cardboard. That is certainly not the case with alpaca wool.
As specialized promoters of the most natural, original, and unique alpaca wool, Silkeborg Uldspinderi offers an abundance of different alpaca wool products. All of these products are made of the best wool, which is of course stretchy and comfortable to the feel. Whether you opt for an alpaca cushion or a blanket for your living room, or some fashionable throw, you will not make a bad choice.
