Alpaca Garment Care
Cleaning your alpaca garments
- Fill a clean sink or tub with cold water and a very small amount of mild liquid detergent like baby shampoo or a fine fibers formula. We recommend using Unicorn Fibre Products. (NOTE: Using hot water, or even two different temperatures of water, will “shock” the fibers, making them mat together and start turning into felt so, don’t make the hot water mistake. Also, do not use chlorine bleach or even gentle Woolite, as these harsh cleaners will cause damage.)
- Soak the garment for 3 to 5 minutes, gently squeezing the suds through the garment. Avoid twisting, wringing, scrubbing, or otherwise agitating it, as this will also cause felting. Dyed garments will have some chance of bleed, but since alpaca fiber takes dyeing better than most other fibers, this shouldn’t be a problem after the first wash.
- Rinse the garment up to 2 times in clean, cold water and gently squeeze out the excess. Be gentle handling it to avoid wrinkles and distortion.
- Lay the garment between two towels, roll up the towels and set it aside for a few minutes.
- Place the garment on a dry towel or sweater rack and reshape (do not hang to dry). Let it dry away from sunlight and direct heat.
- If the garment is wrinkled after drying, you can steam it lightly with an iron, or simply hang it up in the bathroom, run the shower, and let the steam ease away the creases.
If you don’t have the time to hand-wash your alpaca garments, you can always take them to a professional dry-cleaner. Bring along any labels or care tags that came with the garment, and be sure to point out any spots and stains so they can use the best method to remove them.
Storing alpaca garments
Alpaca clothing can last for decades, but its greatest enemies are moths and other pests that cause damage during storage. If you need to put your alpaca away during warmer months, give it a good cleaning first following the instructions above — pests are drawn to dirt and body oils on fibers.
You can keep pests away from any garment by storing it in a chest of inspect-repelling Spanish cedar, or by placing cedar chips in the storage area. To keep away moths, use lavender bundles (chemical moth balls will work as well, but ugh, we highly recommend lavender instead!).
A shirt box, clean pillow case, clean paper bag, or cardboard box will keep the air circulating around the garment. Never use plastic or dry cleaning bags for your alpaca, as this will cause moisture to build up and the fibers will felt. And like any other knit garment, alpaca clothing should be folded rather than hung to prevent stretching and distortion.