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Garment Care & Storage

Care of Alpaca Sweaters & Products

All our garments are made from 100% natural fiber and must be treated with care. Alpaca repels dirt and odor, additionally it is naturally antimicrobial which means bacteria will not live in your garments and minimal cleaning is needed. Placing your 100% Alpaca Wool or Blended piece outside in the fresh air will restore them easily. Spot clean if needed. 

  • Alpaca sweaters may be hand washed in cool water with a gentle detergent. Woolite is not recommended.
  • Do not use chlorine bleach.
  • Do not agitate or wring.
  • Fabric softener may be added to rinse water.
  • Lay flat on towel and roll to remove excess moisture.
  • Do not tumble dry - Lay the product flat, reshape to its original dimensions and allow it to dry naturally.
  • May be ironed - please use wool setting. Iron only once fully dry.
  • Do not dry in the sun.
  • Dry Cleaning acceptable. Do not use home dry cleaning kit.
  • Freezing acceptable.
    • Freezing is an alternate way of cleaning your Alpaca woolens instead of washing them. Spot treat and freeze in a bag for 24hours. 

 

Care of Alpaca Socks

  • For best results, machine or hand wash in cool or cold water. 100% Alpaca Socks should only be hand washed. Alpaca socks blended with Nylon or Acrylic may be laundered in a washing machine.
  • Fabric softener may be used. Do not use Chlorine bleach.  
  • Turn inside out to reduce risk of pilling.
  • A washing machine with a center agitator can trap and tear delicates. If your clothes washer has one of these you may want to use a mesh laundry bag designed for delicates.
  • Lay flat or hang dry, or tumble dry on air or no heat setting. 
  • Keeping your socks out of the dryer helps to maximize the life of your alpaca socks.

Care of Alpaca Throws & Blankets

  • Spot Clean only as needed.
  • Dry Cleaning or Green Dry Cleaning is recommended due to the weave of our throws and blankets, only if cleaning is a necessity.
  • Consider Freezing before washing.
  • Simply, place your blanket or throw outside in the fresh air and sunshine for 15 minutes.  This will refresh your blanket. Sun can bleach out colors if left outside longer. 

Hand Washing your Alpaca Blanket 

We do not recommend hand washing of the bed blankets or throws as it can cause shedding and damage the weave. Due to the unique nature of alpaca these products do not hold odor or soil and simply airing out in the sunshine for 15 minutes will refresh your blanket. If you choose to hand wash here are steps you can take. 

  • With care some Alpaca throws may be hand washed in cool water with a gentle detergent. Woolite & chlorine bleach are not recommended.
  • Add liquid soap to cold water, submerge and soak your alpaca throw blanket. Do not agitate or wring as this can cause distress to the weave. 
  • Drain water and soak in clean cold water twice. Fabric softener may be added to final rinse water. Drain water before removing to towel.
  • Lay flat on towel and roll to remove excess moisture.
  • Do not tumble dry - Lay the product flat, reshape to its original dimensions and allow it to dry naturally out of sun.
  • May be ironed - please use wool setting. Iron only once fully dry.

Care of Alpaca Duvet

  • Alpaca duvets should not be washed or Dry Cleaned. Please air occasionally which will restore it. Laying it in the sun will trigger the natural hypoallergenic properties of self cleaning.
  • Please use a duvet cover to protect the Pima Cotton casing from soil.

Alpaca does not hold moisture, mites, or odors, therefore it needs cleaning far less than comparable duvets. If a washing process is necessary, we recommend a green dry clean in a gentle cycle specially during the dry process (considering that high temperatures could damage the shell and the fiber). 

Our duvets have passed many laboratory tests that guarantee their use and resistance for shrinkage tests, that were approved respecting international standards and washing tests to guarantee the quality and durability of the product. In order to the best results, we recommend the following instructions for Dry Cleaners only when cleaning is a MUST.

  • Wash 4 min (clean perchlorate, unused)
  • Drain 4 min
  • Centrifugation 3 min (intermittent c / min)
  • Drying 40 minutes (max. 55 ° C)
  • Deodorized 25 min

In a first washing test the duvet suffered a significant alteration, however it was found that the problem was the washing process as it was applied by the dry cleaners. The excess of heat and exposure time to drying were the triggers. The applied process was too aggressive, causing the damage.

To achieve the best results please provide the above instructions to your dry cleaner.
Should shrinkage occur from not following the procedure, please file a claim with your dry cleaner.

Care of Alpaca Fur Products & Teddy Bears

Alpaca fur does not contain lanolin, nor does the fiber have scales which can trap dirt or debris. This means that alpaca fur stays cleaner longer. Should your alpaca fur item get soiled, here are some solutions: 

  • Wipe soiled area with damp cloth, do not use soap.
  • Do not submerge in water.
  • Allow to air dry, do not place in dryer.
  • Do not dry in the sun.
  • Gently brush item and shake to fluff fur. (This will also remove dust)
  • Dry Cleaning acceptable (fur trimmed garments a must!) or consult professional company who deals with fur.

Storage of Alpaca Items

Alpaca clothing can last for decades, however caring for your alpaca treasures properly is vital - by following these few simple guidelines, you can protect and prolong the life of your favorite alpaca sweaters, blankets or accessories:

  • Sport clean & make sure your item is completely dry then freeze your alpaca scarf, sweater or throw in a plastic bag (for protection) for 24 hours. 
  • If you must wash or dry clean, follow the written instructions we provide with each item. Put items away that are freshly cleaned and completely dry. (Pests prefer dirty fibers) 
  • Store in a cedar chest, a shirt box, a pillow case (clean) or a paper bag (clean). These allow for air circulation. Never use plastic or dry cleaning bags. Items may also be stored in the freezer (in a zip lock bag) or any moth protected environment.
  • Sweaters and blankets should be folded and laid flat, never hung.
  • Traditional herbal repellents such as cedar chips, nuggets or blocks, and especially lavender bundles are far superior to chemical moth balls. We recommend Purple Haze Lavender for tips and purchasing.
  • Interleave tissue paper at folds (interior of fold) to avoid lines when you are ready to wear your sweater again.
  • Don't store alpaca in close proximity to sheep's wool or cashmere sweaters, as moths are more readily drawn to these fibers.