Alpaca

Another ancient wool, alpaca was first cultivated by ancient tribes in the Andes, and later by the Incas, who called it the “yarn of the gods”. The Paracas textiles, dated around 250 BC and currently on display in the British Museum, are thought to contain alpaca wool.

Alpaca is similar in composition to sheep’s wool, but humans have bred alpacas over time to select a finer fibre, resulting in a distinctly soft wool similar to merino. We tend to combine it with sheep’s wool in our jumpers and cardigans, creating knits that are soft, durable, and cosy.

Alpaca wool is also free of lanolin, a fairly common allergen which can cause people to react when wearing other kinds of wool.

Yak

Yak’s wool is a criminally underrated natural fibre, but we’re seeing it make a slow but certain debut in western fashion. Native to the Himalayas, yaks are even being put forward as a more environmentally-friendly alternative to cashmere goats, whose swelling population is starting to threaten the mountainous vegetation they graze on.

More and more textile innovators are starting to embrace yak’s wool as a greener, but just as sumptuous alternative to cashmere.

Though it may look a little coarse when it’s actually part of the yak’s coat, the harsh environment they live in has led yaks to evolve with long, fine hairs that can be made into a surprisingly luxurious yarn. We’re sure you’ll notice the subtle softness of yak wool where we’ve blended it to create wonderful, high-quality knits.