Alpaca and sheep wool are both natural animal fibers. Both can keep you warm. Both can be used to make everything from socks and hats to sweaters and blankets.
So why choose alpaca?
We happen to know both animals pretty well. We raise alpacas, we own sheep, and we've spent years working with alpaca fiber. We aren't going to tell you wool is terrible just so alpaca sounds better.
But the fibers are different, and those differences are exactly why we built American Made Alpaca around alpaca.
Is Alpaca Softer Than Sheep Wool?
One of the first things people notice about good alpaca fiber is how soft it feels.
Fiber softness is influenced heavily by fiber diameter, which is measured in microns. Finer fibers generally feel softer against your skin, while coarser fibers are more likely to feel prickly.
That means not every alpaca fleece feels exactly the same, just as not every sheep fleece feels the same. Fine merino wool, for example, can be remarkably soft.
But fine alpaca can also be exceptionally soft, which is one reason it's so popular for clothing and accessories worn close to the skin.
Alpaca Contains No Lanolin
Here's one difference that isn't subjective.
Alpacas do not produce lanolin.
Sheep do.
Lanolin is the waxy substance naturally present in sheep's wool. Raw sheep wool generally needs to be scoured to remove the lanolin along with dirt and other material before it can be processed.
Alpaca fiber still needs cleaning. Spend five minutes around an alpaca and you'll understand why. They roll in dirt, lie in hay and generally don't spend much time worrying about keeping their future sweater clean.
But there is no lanolin to remove from alpaca fiber.
Alpaca is also commonly considered a hypoallergenic fiber, which is one reason people who have difficulty wearing traditional wool often become interested in it.
Alpaca Provides Warmth Without a Ridiculous Amount of Bulk
When people hear “warm socks,” they often picture enormous socks.
That's not necessarily what you want inside a work boot.
Alpaca is an excellent insulating fiber and can provide impressive warmth without requiring an extremely bulky finished product.
That's particularly useful when you're trying to put a warm sock inside a boot that still needs to fit properly.
Because if you cram an enormous sock into a boot and crowd your foot, you've created a whole new problem.
Moisture Matters Too
Warmth is only part of what your socks need to handle.
Your feet produce moisture throughout the day, especially if you're working, hiking, doing farm chores or spending hours inside boots.
That's one of the reasons we like alpaca so much for socks.
Alpaca's moisture management properties make it useful when you're dealing with changing activity levels and temperatures throughout the day. You may start out cold, work hard enough to sweat and then slow down again later.
A good sock has to deal with all of it.
Don't Just Read the Big Word on the Package
This is something we wish more people knew.
Seeing WOOL SOCKS or ALPACA SOCKS written across the front of a package doesn't tell you nearly as much as you might think.
Turn it over.
What's actually in the sock?
A product marketed as a wool sock doesn't necessarily contain mostly wool. And the same principle applies to products marketed as alpaca socks.
Look at the actual fiber percentages.
Then look beyond the fiber content.
Is the sock cushioned? Are the heel and toe reinforced? Does it have enough stretch and structure to stay up? Where is it made? Is it the right height and weight for what you're going to do in it?
A cheap wool sock and a well constructed alpaca work sock aren't interchangeable simply because both contain natural animal fiber.
The finished product matters.
Why Aren't Good Alpaca Work Socks 100% Alpaca?
This surprises people.
If alpaca is such a great fiber, wouldn't a 100% alpaca sock be better?
Not necessarily.
A work sock needs to do things that alpaca fiber alone isn't particularly good at doing. It needs stretch. It needs structure. It needs to recover its shape. And it needs to withstand repeated friction inside a boot.
That's why blends matter.
Our Alpaca Crew Work Socks are 78% USA grown alpaca, 20% nylon and 2% Lycra.
Those additional fibers aren't filler added to make the sock cheaper. They're there because they have jobs to do.
The nylon adds strength and durability. The Lycra provides stretch and helps the sock hold its shape.
The goal isn't to put the highest possible percentage of alpaca on a label.
The goal is to put alpaca to work.
Is Alpaca Stronger Than Sheep Wool?
You'll see claims online that alpaca is two or three times stronger than sheep wool.
We wouldn't choose an alpaca product based on a statement like that.
Fiber strength can vary according to fiber diameter, individual fleece, processing and other factors. More importantly, the durability of a finished product depends on much more than the strength of a single fiber.
If you're buying socks for work boots, we'd pay much more attention to the entire construction of the sock.
Our Crew Work Socks have reinforced heels and toes because those are areas that take a tremendous amount of abuse inside a boot. They're also full terry loop lined for cushioning.
Those details matter just as much as what's written on the fiber label.
Is Alpaca More Sustainable Than Sheep Wool?
Alpaca is a renewable natural fiber. Alpacas grow a new fleece that can be harvested throughout their lives, and the fiber is biodegradable under appropriate conditions.
But we're careful about declaring one animal fiber universally “greener” than another.
How animals are raised matters. So do land use, processing, transportation, manufacturing, how long a finished product lasts and how much it's actually used.
For us, sustainability also means making thoughtful purchases.
Something you use constantly and keep for a long time is a very different purchase from something cheap that gets replaced over and over again.
So Why Do We Choose Alpaca?
Because after years of raising alpacas and working with their fiber, we know what it can do.
Alpaca contains no lanolin. Fine alpaca can be exceptionally soft. It's an excellent insulating fiber without requiring tremendous bulk, and its moisture management properties make it particularly useful for socks and other products you're going to wear for hours at a time.
We don't need to make sheep wool sound bad to make alpaca sound good.
We own sheep. We like wool.
We just think alpaca is one hell of a fiber.
The Bottom Line
When you're comparing alpaca and sheep wool, don't stop at the name of the fiber.
Look at fiber content, construction, cushioning, reinforcement, fit, intended use and where the product was made.
That's especially important with socks.
A $4 pair of wool socks and a $28 pair of alpaca work socks aren't necessarily versions of the same product at two different prices. Look at what's actually in them and how they're constructed, and then decide which one makes sense for what you're asking your socks to do.
Our best selling Alpaca Crew Work Socks are made in the USA with 78% USA grown alpaca, full terry loop lining and reinforced heels and toes.
They're made for people who expect a lot more from their socks than simply covering their feet.
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