Are Alpaca Cardigans as Warm as Winter Clothing
Days are slowly growing colder and colder, which means it’s time for you to do some winter shopping! But which should you choose—a big, puffy coat or an alpaca cardigan? A cardigan might seem too thin for bracing the cold, but if it’s made with alpaca wool, then you can be confident that it will keep you warm. Here’s everything you need to know if you’re thinking of buying one.
How alpaca cardigans can keep you warm during the winter
Alpacas are furry, fuzzy creatures that are so cute you might be tempted to pet them. What you see is also what you get; their wool is as soft to the touch as you expect. But did you know that their wool is also surprisingly warm?
According to Wild Hair Alpacas, alpaca clothing can effectively increase your body temperature when you wear them. For example, if the weather drops to about 0°F, an alpaca cardigan or sweater will make you feel as if it were 50°F.
How is this possible? Unlike other fabrics, alpaca wool has the following properties:
A unique fiber structure
Alpaca wool features a fiber with two parts: a medullated core and a hollow cortex. The core plays a significant role in keeping you warm, trapping air, and acting like a protective layer.
Do note that some types of alpaca wool—such as baby and royal alpaca—are less effective at providing warmth compared to regular alpaca. In contrast, fabrics with more medullated fibers are coarser but also warmer.
Water resistance
Does it often rain where you live? Then, alpaca cardigans are the perfect addition to your closet. They can quickly wick away water before it can even get into the fiber. As a result, you are protected from the cold, wearing clothing that doesn’t get clammy or sticky.
Wind resistance
Alpaca wool clothing provides excellent protection from the wind. For instance, tighter and firmer cardigans have incredible wind resistance, minimizing cases of wind chill and keeping your body warm.
Besides being warm and comfortable, alpaca wool has some other great benefits. They are soft and lightweight, making them easy to carry around during long hikes. Alpaca clothing also maintains its shape regardless of how often you wear it, lasting for many years.
About The author:
The Best of Peru is an online ecommerce website which sells handmade Peruvian products for fashion, home and art-craft decoration. They use raw materials such as alpaca, Pima Cotton and many others to manufacture their products. Their unique products are inspired by the Peruvian culture.