Peru is the largest producer of Alpaca fiber holding 90% of the world’s total production. But countries such as USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, so on have also intended to breed the animal as the fiber is recognized as one of the finest for textile production directions. Below our team are intended to assist you in properly washing, drying and storing your alpaca garments. So, let’s do it!

WASHING INSTRUCTIONS

As a producer of woolens, we can advise how best to take care of your precious purchase, and reassure you that it is not any extra work. To make sure that your garment stays as gorgeous as the day you bought it, it’s important to bear in mind the following:

• Alpaca wool is self-cleaning. After wearing, hang it out to air.
• Don’t spot clean; always wash the whole garment, not just the part that has the stain.
• Wash similar colors separately.
• Do not use bleach!
• Hand washing, is the best method and is commended as the best choice of washing, remember the thing that causes wool products to shrink and/or felt is temperature change and agitation while wet. So, the greater the temperature change and/or agitation the greater the risk of shrinking and felting.
• We can recommend to wash wool at 0 degrees in the washing machine on the wool cycle, and we also use the wool spin cycle. Please if you decide to use this method must to be at your discretion. A delicate wash and lower temperature setting is generally less risky.
• Use a pH neutral detergent, or preferably a special wool washing detergent.
• When rinsing, make sure that the temperature of the rinsing water is the same as the washing water.
• Grace’s tip: “I usually place my alpaca sweaters in a bucket of water with neutral detergent, and let them soak for 2 hours. Then I hand rinse them and let them dry on my clothesline outside in the garden. I recommend not using “clothesline” because the line is marked on the sweater, it can be on a thicker surface”.

DRYING

We do not recommend using a dryer. If you choose to risk to do so, use a delicate of fluff low temperature setting, and only leave the product in the dryer for a very short period of time.

Dry the product in a flat position, and out of sunlight. Never hang or lay a wool garment to dry when it is saturated in water. Try to remove as much of the water as possible and don’t lay it out on anything that absorbs moisture (such as a towel). Colors might run and the natural elasticity of the garment may deteriorate.

Some reshaping to the original dimensions may be necessary. Remove wrinkles and straighten seams by hand. Do not use a brush, after the product has dried you may touch it up with a cold iron.

Pilling and balling of your purchase is perfectly normal. To remove pilling, and keep your item looking fresh and recently bought, we recommend using a wool comb or by hand. It is natural and uses no chemicals or batteries.

When ironing, use a steam iron, or put a moist protective sheet between a regular iron and the woolen surface.

STORING TO PRESERVE

Make sure the items are completely dry before storage. The second major consideration is the protection against moths. Some ideas include placing items is cedar chets, plastic zip-lock container, and plastic tubs. We do not recommend using mothballs.

Follow these steps to enjoy your alpaca treasure for years and years to come!