Alpaca Rugs: How the Fibre Compares to Wool

Alpaca is softer and warmer than most rug wool and carries almost no lanolin, but it has less crimp, so a pile of alpaca springs back more slowly. In India it suits cool or air conditioned rooms, where its warmth is welcome and traffic is light.

What is alpaca fibre?

Alpaca fibre is the fleece of the alpaca, a camelid related to the llama. It is sheared like sheep's wool and spun into yarn for knitwear, blankets and, more rarely, rugs.

The fibre is smooth, with low scales, and many alpaca fibres have a partly hollow core. That core traps air, which is why alpaca feels warm for its weight. See alpaca in our glossary.

How does alpaca compare with wool?

Alpaca is softer, smoother and warmer than wool, while wool is springier and easier to look after. The differences come from three features of the fibre.

• Less grease. Alpaca has very little lanolin, so it feels clean and dry, but it lacks the slight resistance to soiling that wool gets from its natural oils.
• Less crimp. Wool's fine waviness makes it bounce back. Alpaca is straighter, so a pile can stay pressed for longer after furniture is moved.
• Smoother scales. Alpaca prickles less on skin and has a gentle sheen, while wool reads more matt.

For a living room that sees daily feet and furniture, choose wool over alpaca, because wool's crimp keeps the pile even for longer.

How does alpaca compare with cashmere?

Alpaca and cashmere are both soft speciality fibres, but cashmere is generally finer and alpaca a little smoother and shinier. Cashmere feels like a dense, matt velvet, while alpaca has a slipperier, silkier hand.

In rugs both are usually blended with wool for strength, because neither has the crimp to hold a pile upright on its own for years. The table puts the three side by side.

	Wool	Alpaca	Cashmere
Softness	Soft with body	Very soft, smooth	Very soft, fine
Warmth	Warm	Very warm for its weight	Very warm
Spring after pressure	High	Lower	Lower
Natural grease	Lanolin present	Very little	Little
Sheen	Matt	Gentle sheen	Soft, matt

Alpaca trades a little spring for a lot of softness and warmth. Choose the room before the fibre.

Does an alpaca rug suit the Indian climate?

An alpaca rug suits cool and air conditioned Indian rooms, and is a poor match for hot, open ones. In a Chennai or Hyderabad summer, a warm fibre underfoot in a room without AC simply feels heavy.

Alpaca does take up some moisture from humid air, as wool does, but with little natural grease it can feel damp to the touch sooner in a coastal monsoon. Good airflow and a dry floor help.

It is a better fit in a hill station home in Shimla or Ooty, a bedroom in a north Indian winter, or a study kept cool all year. Because alpaca has little lanolin, humid seasons also call for prompt blotting of spills and good airing.

How do you look after an alpaca rug?

Look after it much as you would a fine wool, with extra care over spills. Vacuum on suction only, without a rotating brush, which can fuzz a smooth fibre.

1. Blot spills at once with a dry cloth, since alpaca has little natural grease to slow a stain.
2. Lift furniture feet with cups, as an alpaca pile recovers slowly from heavy dents.
3. Turn the rug every few months so sunlight and wear spread evenly.

What can you choose from Rugberry instead?

Rugberry does not list an alpaca rug in the current range, but two lines give much of the same softness and warmth, in fibres made for a floor.

The Cashmere Blend Rug in taupe is handloom woven in wool and cashmere, fine, dense and very soft underfoot. The Plush Wool Rug in wheat is handloom New Zealand wool with a deep, quiet pile, warm in tone and in feel. For an even, everyday softness, the hand tufted Ivory Wool Rug holds its shape well.

If you want to explore alpaca for a specific room, ask Rugberry about a custom piece, and ask for the fibre to be written on the specification. Our post on the softest rug fibres compares more options.

Frequently asked questions

Is alpaca warmer than wool?

Yes, alpaca is generally warmer for its weight because many of its fibres have a partly hollow core that traps air. In a rug that warmth suits cool or air conditioned rooms more than hot ones.

Is alpaca good for people who find wool itchy?

Alpaca is smoother and has very little lanolin, so many people find it gentler on skin than coarse wool. On a floor the difference matters most where you sit or lie on the rug.

Does Rugberry sell alpaca rugs?

Rugberry does not list an alpaca rug in its current range. An alpaca piece can be discussed with Rugberry as a custom rug.

Choose warmth for cool rooms and spring for busy ones. Material first.