Care Instructions.
A question I am asked quite often is what are the care instructions?!
Well I’m here to tell you Alpaca garments are really easy to care for! First lets start with a story that brought all of this about for me and made me want to share the “real care instructions” for alpaca.
A customer came into my booth at a craft fair and was looking for a sweatshirt. He said a relative of his was going on a backpacking trip and the guides recommended they wear alpaca sweatshirts. He said this was because alpaca is anti-bacterial and these guys/gals are out for an extended time unable to bathe or wash clothes. So I started doing some research and not only is alpaca anti-bacterial it is also odor resistant, stain resistant, naturally wicking and water repellent.
These qualities allow you to skip a few washes and still feel as fresh as the day you put it on! Thus being the “real” care instructions…. Just don’t wash it haha! jk sorta…
SO when you are ready to wash your garments here are my tips:
If you are instructed to HAND WASH what that really means is to soak. Alpaca does not have oil in the fiber and due to its other qualities previously mentioned it does not need an aggressive cleaning. Using cool water fill a basin/sink add very little, a drop is sufficient, of a mild shampoo, I use baby shampoo. Mix the water to disperse the soap and add your garment. I do recommend putting your item in a laundry mesh bag to support the weight of your garment. Let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. This time varies because alpaca fibers really only absorb 10% of its weight whereas wool absorbs 30%, it takes longer for the alpaca to truly absorb the water and to be fully saturated. Drain the water and gently flatten the garment to force the water out and repeat with clean cool water to rinse.
NEVER wring, twist or agitate ALWAYS support the weight of the garment NEVER use hot water
WHY? Well, wet alpaca garments are heavy and can weaken and stretch distorting the shape. Heat and agitation can shrink and felt the garment. And if you do shrink an item you can try soaking it in a mild conditioner for a time then gently pulling on the garment to stretch it back out. I have not tried this myself but I have had customers suggest it.
The socks we carry are all indicated from the manufacturer that you CAN wash and dry at normal temperatures. I can attest, none of mine have shrunk after going through the dryer not once but many times. To get the longest life from your socks it is my recommendation that you hand wash (soak) and lay them flat to dry. Please note not all alpaca socks are created the same way and some will in fact shrink but ours are washer/dryer safe.
Some of the other garments we carry that are knit or crocheted need to be washed via the soaking method. Our wraps (Ruana/Mobius) are recommended to be dry cleaned. I did, however, test a mobius in my top loading washing machine. I selected the cold water temperature setting and the delicates cycle, I will say it came out fine. The problem that I have with it is the creases that were in it when it was spun out in the wash are still there even after I dried it flat and ironed it. I wonder if I soak with conditioner or just plain water soak that maybe once it dries again the crease lines will fade. I can update ya if I get around to trying it, but the garment still looks nice and I am not that fussy. I will say as a side note: You CAN IRON the mobius’ and Ruana, I use the wool setting on my iron and steam. You can also use a garment steamer just move quickly and evenly, but definitely DO NOT DRY either of these garments in a dryer.
Don’t be afraid the lengthen the life of your garment and skip a wash or two! It can be our secret! I hope this helps you get the longest life from your favorite Alpaca gear!!
Please Note: I am not a professional in cleaning alpaca garments these recommendations are a combination of research as well as trial and error from not only myself but also customers who share their stories. Follow the guidelines as indicated on your garment tags or err on the side of caution and contact your local dry cleaners for advice and/or cleaning.
