Alpaca or cashmere: which should be wrapped around your neck this winter, or keeping your knees warm on the sofa? People fall for both fibres at first touch. The honest answer is that the name on the label matters less than the fibre grade, the weave and the piece itself. Here is how we would choose.<\/p>\n
Cashmere is, by definition, the finer fibre. Fine alpaca comes close and has a silky sheen of its own. Nobody has proven which is warmer, and both want the same gentle care. Beyond that, it all depends on what you buy and how you use and look after it.<\/p>\n
| <\/th>\n | Alpaca<\/th>\n | Cashmere<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n |
|---|---|---|
| Origin<\/td>\n | Alpaca fleece, high in the Andes<\/td>\n | The soft undercoat of the cashmere goat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Fineness<\/td>\n | Several grades. Baby alpaca is the fine fibre we use in our scarves and throws<\/td>\n | Fine by definition<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Feel<\/td>\n | Smooth and silky, with a soft sheen<\/td>\n | Soft and light<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Warmth<\/td>\n | No clear winner. The weight and weave of the piece matter more than the fibre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n | |
| Sensitive skin<\/td>\n | Fine alpaca is a gentle choice<\/td>\n | So is fine cashmere<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Ageing<\/td>\n | Pills less than sheep\u2019s wool; can develop a soft halo<\/td>\n | Pills with wear, like any fine knit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n |
| Care<\/td>\n | Dry clean, or hand wash in lukewarm (30\u00b0C) water and dry flat<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nIs alpaca as soft as cashmere?<\/h2>\nOn paper, cashmere wins. It is defined by its fineness, and high-quality cashmere yarn is finer than baby alpaca. In the hand, the difference is smaller than the numbers suggest. The surface of the alpaca fibre is smooth, almost glossy, which is why a good baby alpaca scarf feels silky rather than woolly.<\/p>\n \u201cBaby alpaca\u201d, by the way, is a fibre grade, not an age. It is the finest part of an adult animal\u2019s fleece, sorted out by hand.<\/p>\n If softness is what you are after, look beyond the fibre name and read the label. \u201c100% baby alpaca\u201d on our labels means exactly that fine fibre.<\/p>\n Is alpaca warmer than cashmere?<\/h2>\nWe won\u2019t pretend to know. Nobody has fairly tested the two fibres side by side, and both are warm and light for their weight. What you feel on a cold morning comes mainly from the piece itself: how heavy it is, how tightly it is woven, how much of you it covers.<\/p>\n That is what we suggest testing. Pick up the scarf, feel its weight and think about your wardrobe and your winter. A 30\u00d7180 cm scarf fits under a coat on the walk to work. A 65\u00d7200 cm wrap is a second layer for the days when the wind comes in off the sea.<\/p>\n Which is gentler on sensitive skin?<\/h2>\nBoth can feel wonderful around the neck if the fibre is fine. Itchiness is not an allergy, but a few coarse fibres pressing against the skin. The finer and more evenly sorted the fibre, the fewer of them there are. That is the whole secret, for alpaca and cashmere alike.<\/p>\n Fine alpaca is a gentle choice for sensitive skin, and most people who find sheep\u2019s wool scratchy are comfortable in baby alpaca. If your skin is easily irritated, try the piece against your neck first. We go into this in more detail in our article does alpaca wool cause itchiness<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every fine natural fibre pills a little; those small bobbles come with soft knitwear. Alpaca pills less than sheep\u2019s wool, although a soft halo can develop with wear. Throws shed a little at first, and we say so openly on the product page.<\/p>\n None of this is a defect, and most of it disappears with gentle care. For knitwear, our care and repair service<\/a> offers depilling, invisible mending and a full refresh. For a scarf or throw, get in touch and ask whether the service is right for it.<\/p>\n Alpaca wants the same gentle care as cashmere. We recommend dry cleaning with a cleaner who knows the fibre. If you prefer to wash at home:<\/p>\n |