Learn More About Baby Alpaca Yarn

Knitting is a popular pastime of people all over the world and one that requires skill, patience and time. One of the most important parts of any knitting project is the yarn. The wrong yarn can ruin a project, and be frustrating to work with. It can also render the piece unusable if it isn’t soft, or is too itchy. 

That’s why we at Pick of the Knitter focus on one of the best types of yarn in the world – Baby alpaca yarn from Peru. There are many benefits of baby alpaca yarn beyond it beyond incredibly soft. It is antimicrobial and antifungal and contains no lanolin, so it is hypoallergenic.  Wool from sheep can causing itching to sensitive skin while all alpaca is perfect for all skin types. Alpaca yarn is also warmer than sheep’s wool, as the fibers are completely hollow much like polar bear’s fur. Sheep’s wool has air pockets, this leads to a lighter, warmer thread. 

It offers excellent moisture wicking properties which means it transports moisture away from the source.  Wool and cotton for example do a poor job of this which can make them become sweat logged and much less comfortable. Additionally it is water, wind and stain resistant. Right now all of our inventory is available for purchase through Etsy, though we are working on setting up shop right here on this site. For now click the links below to purchase, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions!

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POTK helps yarn shop owners and those looking for large quanitites of baby alpaca yarn as an importer of baby alpaca yarn. We have a direct connection to manufacturers in Peru and can help take care of the order and shipping process for you, navigating the import process and getting quality yarn into the US. Get a quote today and review our color options below. 

Baby alpaca is simply alpaca wool that is around 18-20 microns in diameter and comes from the first sheer of a producing alpaca.  As a result it is rarer and much softer. Alpaca comes in several grades, a recent and most exclusive grade is “Royal Alpaca” which is approximately 16-18 micros in diameter per strand.  Normal Alpaca yarn is closer to 25 microns in diameter and slightly rougher to the touch. Baby Alpaca yarn is lighter than wool due to its airier structure. It is also resistant to stretching and lasts a very long time.  Many garments hundreds of years old have been found intact in the mountains of Peru.

It is very environmentally friendly, and all of our alpaca is raised in Peru on mountains where the alpacas don’t destroy roots and walk on very soft hooves.  Sheep destroy root systems and have hard hooves which can destroy the ground. We have been to Peru to meet our suppliers and we take it seriously that these products are sustainable and properly sourced.

The manufacturer, Michell, maintains an excellent commitment to traditional and indigenous villages to source the yarn.  The herders first spin the fibers into strands in a traditional manner using a pushka, which is a spindle.  This is done before the manufacturing process at Michell.

Our yarn is non-flammable and comes in 22 natural colors, and up to 200 dyed colors. If you find that we don’t have the color you want, let us know and we will try to source it. Our skeins are all DK in weight.

Color Options