Alpaca ponchos

Alpaca ponchos are the most well-known item of clothing from South America. But while traditional ponchos from Peru and Mexico have brightly colored patterns, fashion designers have recently been reinterpreting the classics in an elegant and modern way. Ponchos are a popular alternative to alpaca pullovers and alpaca cardigans What is a poncho? Ponchos are rectangular-cut items of clothing with a hole in the middle for the head. They are versatile and are also great for a layered look on cooler days. Ponchos are worn for different occasions, such as at work, when strolling around, on hikes or on the beach. They can be put on quickly, without the hassle of buttoning or pulling up the sleeves. The one-size-fits-all nature of ponchos is another practical feature of the item of clothing. If you gain a few kilograms in weight, the alpaca poncho will still fit you and will also conceal problem areas. An alpaca poncho is a good investment, especially for pregnant women, as it can be worn during and after pregnancy and will not disappear into the closet once the baby is born.

The alpaca wool used to make the ponchos comes from alpacas - the New World camelids of South America that live at an altitude of over 3,500 meters in the high mountains of the Andes. Around 90% of the world's alpaca population lives in Peru. Alpacas are bred for their valuable wool for the production of natural fiber clothing and for their meat. This tradition dates back to the Inca period and the production and processing of alpaca wool is still an important source of income for the indigenous population in Peru. Alpacas are descended from vicuñas that live in the wild. Vicuna wool is the most expensive wool in the world and is also used to make vicuña ponchos. A poncho made of vicuña wool costs around 4,000 euros.

When it comes to animal products, it is important to choose wool that is not cruel to animals, because the exploitation of animals for their wool cannot be accepted. We at Alpakin source our alpaca wool from Peru, the land of the alpacas. It is RAS certified; the Responsible Alpaca Standard (RAS) regulates the species-appropriate treatment of South American camels and the animal-friendly production of their wool. This way, you can be sure that you are buying alpaca wool that is not cruel to animals.

It is also important to know that baby alpaca wool is not obtained from young alpacas, but from protected body parts of adult alpacas. Baby alpaca is rare; while up to six kilograms of wool can be obtained from each animal during alpaca shearing, only around 150 - 200 grams is the softest baby alpaca quality.

The modern interpretation of Peruvian ponchos is versatile and a real eye-catcher. Ponchos or capes are suitable for all seasons and can be worn both in everyday life and on more formal occasions. They are always comfortable and do not restrict you. In Peru, alpaca ponchos are still worn in their traditional form by the indigenous population today, for example when working in the fields, because you can slip into them quickly, the poncho is well ventilated and reliably protects against the cold and wind.

Alpaca ponchos come in a variety of shapes and colors, and shorter-cut ponchos are also suitable for smaller women. Ponchos have either a round neckline, a V-neckline or a high turtleneck.

Our alpaca ponchos are characterized by their simple, elegant design and are made from 100% soft baby alpaca wool. Many suppliers rely on cheaper blends with wool or synthetic fibers, but then the alpaca wool can hardly develop its special properties. We follow the same principle with our alpaca sweaters - 100 percent, maximum purity and a wearing comfort that you have never experienced before. We source our alpaca wool from Peru and the ponchos are also made there. By small manufacturers and mainly by women, as they are unfortunately still very disadvantaged in Peruvian society. With us you will find alpaca ponchos for women and alpaca ponchos for men as limited slow fashion unique pieces; we distance ourselves from cheap mass-produced goods of inferior quality.

Washing alpaca wool is uncomplicated. Basically, your alpaca poncho does not need to be washed too often, as it has a high self-cleaning power and airs out well. Even with frequent washing, your poncho will not lose its softness, as the alpaca fiber is robust and hard-wearing.

Alpaca ponchos can be washed by hand or in the washing machine. It is important to choose the gentle wool wash cycle, maximum 30 degrees Celsius and spin as low as possible at no more than 600 revolutions per minute. We recommend using special wool detergent, but do not add fabric softener. Do not put the alpaca poncho in the dryer and do not iron it. It does not wrinkle and is best dried lying flat on the clothes rack.