Women’s knitwear is a widely available product. There are many stores both on the high street and online where you will be able to find a plethora of different styles of women’s knitwear made from a blend of wool and other synthetic fibres as well as the higher quality sheep’s wool and alpaca wool. The great thing about knitwear is that it makes a wonderful gift, whether it is a birthday gift or a special Christmas gift. The recipient will appreciate the sentiment and enjoy the warmth that it provides for her throughout the colder months.

As mentioned before, it is very easy to find women’s knitwear; online or on the high street you will be spoilt for choice. However, if you want to buy a high quality product then it is worth learning a little about the materials used and their origin. You will almost certainly be aware of the method in which a sheep’s wool jumper is made. This is probably because sheep are native to a large percentage of the wool producing countries on earth. It is worth considering that there is an alternative to sheep wool and this is the wool of the Alpaca.

So let’s look at this animal and learn how a piece of women’s knitwear made from Alpaca wool is made. Firstly, the Alpaca is a species of camelid; its appearance is very much similar to that of a Llama, and however it is somewhat smaller in size. Much like our domestic sheep, Alpacas are gentle and inquisitive creatures and much like our sheep they have a fibrous coat that is fine and heavy. However, unlike our sheep, this heavy fleece comes in over 22 different naturally occurring shades from black, charcoal, silver and sand to brown and ivory.

So, where do they come from? Alpacas are native to the Andes in South America. This explains their heavy fleece, which provides them with protection from the conditions and climate of this region. As they are a native animal to this region, the people of the Andes and South America have learnt to work with the natural fleece of these creatures and have been creating woollen clothing for generations.

So what makes the wool of the Alpaca so special? Which characteristics set is apart from our sheep’s wool? Well, it is very lightweight and provides great warmth, this is because the actual fibres are hollow. There is also no lanolin which is found in sheep’s wool and can cause allergies, and the prickly nature of sheep’s wool is absent. As such this wool makes excellent men and women’s knitwear and is ideal for children too.

The hardiness of the animal is reflected in the garment’s lifespan. An item of women’s knitwear made of Alpaca wool will generally last longer than both sheep’s wool and cashmere, as such it is considered to be a premium material to sheep’s wool. So, when it comes to choosing a sweater for your loved one, then think carefully about the different yarns. An Alpaca sweater is a great and lasting gift for anyone.

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