Our hand-dyed, aran-weight alpaca yarn is great for winter garments like beanies and sweaters. Alpaca provides greater insulation than wool, but feels lighter and thinner than our merino wool of the same weight, so it's going to have a looser drape.
While cashmere is often recognized as the king of luxury fabric, it's hard to find sustainable cashmere that isn't expensive. High-grade alpaca comes closer than any other material to providing the same warmth and softness as cashmere, and Peruvian alpaca production is generally considered to be ethical and sustainable. Alpaca fiber is warmer and softer than sheep's wool and is naturally water-repellant, fire-resistant, and hypoallergenic.
