World’s Greatest Beanie: Why Baby Alpaca Fiber?

Baby Alpaca: World's Greatest Fiber

When we set out to create our Kickstarter for the World's Greatest Beanie, we knew that it had to be made from the world's best fiber. Alpaca have a rich history in South America's Andean mountains, dating back over 6,000 years when their fur was yielded and reserved for Incan royalty. This can be attributed to the the superior features of alpaca, including warmth, strength and water resistance. Baby alpaca has been prized for centuries, and we knew that its quality made it essential for our Kickstarter project, the World's Greatest Beanie. In addition to being a treasured resource rich with history, alpaca also has a myriad of environmental benefits. Their heavily padded feet doesn't damage the landscape of the Peruvian Altiplano, and even at the high mountain elevation, they don't require additional resources. Throughout the year they use less food, water, and produce a higher yield compared to other animals. The fiber, which is harvested only once a year in the spring, is naturally antimicrobial, meaning that it repels bacteria and odor. It's softer and retains more warmth that wool, and the yarn spun from the baby alpaca fiber is the natural color, so there are no harsh chemicals or dyes in the creation of the World's Greatest Beanie. The attention to detail in the care for the alpaca and the fiber selection makes baby alpaca highly prized, but also represents our desire for care and visibility at all points in the supply chain in creating the World's Greatest Beanie. The alpaca fibers used for the World's Greatest Beanie are sourced from Mallkini Ranch. Mallkini Ranch prides themselves on being a socially and environmentally conscious space. Located in the Highlands, the alpaca are free to roam across the acres of land and while receiving the highest level of care. Here, the alpaca are carefully sheared and their fiber is meticulously hand-selected and separated into varying degrees of fineness. There are varying types of alpaca, and baby alpaca, named for the texture of the fiber and not the age of the animal, is widely known as the superior alpaca fur. Baby alpaca is the finest of the alpaca fibers, and creates the softest yarn with all of the benefits of alpaca fur. Baby alpaca is the ideal fiber for the basis of the World's Greatest Beanie because it's durable enough for the boldest adventurer, but soft enough for comfortable daily wear. It's equal parts luxury and functionality, making it the perfect basis for the World's Greatest Beanie.