What is it? Alpaca fibre comes from the domesticated South American animal that graze in herds at high altitudes. The Fibre Co. uses what is called ‘baby’ alpaca from animals raised in the Andes mountains of southern Peru. The term ‘baby’ does not mean that the fibre is from an actual ‘baby’ animal, but instead refers to the fineness of the fibre as measured in microns or micrometres (µ). The baby alpaca in our yarn measures between 21.5 and 22.5µ., but alpaca fibre can range from 15 to 35µ. Alpaca comes in over 20 natural shades ranging from white to browns to a pure black. The Fibre Co. uses the natural white, fawn and brown alpaca shades.

Why do we use it? Alpaca fibre is generally smoother than wool from sheep and with its semi-hollow core, it is a great choice for warmth, softness and drape. With fewer scales on the alpaca fibre than wool, light is better reflected making yarns with alpaca appear more luminescent giving great depth of colour. Many of The Fibre Co. yarns have baby alpaca blended with merino wool for the best in knitting ease, stitch definition and fabric structure. Alpaca also has a very high tensile strength due to a longer staple length, which means that while our yarns are soft, they are also quite strong.

What is it? Baby llama fibre comes from the same family of domesticated South American animals as the alpaca. The llama is much larger than the alpaca and is most commonly used as a pack animal. Fibre from the llama differs from the alpaca in that that llama has two coats to its fleece—one is a layer of coarser fibres that are known as guard hairs and the other is from an undercoat of softer fibres that can be very fine. We use this finer undercoat from Peruvian baby llamas. As with baby alpaca, the term ‘baby’ refers to the fineness of the fibre as measured in microns or micrometres (µ) with the baby llama in our yarn measuring between 21.5 and 22.5µ.

Why do we use it? We use baby llama for the same reasons that we use baby alpaca—it is generally smoother than wool from sheep and provides greater warmth, softness and drape. With fewer scales on the llama fibre than wool, light is better reflected making yarns with alpaca appear more luminescent giving great depth of colour. The Fibre Co. yarns that use baby llama are blended with merino wool to give the best stitch definition and fabric structure. In addition to being very soft, baby llama is a very strong fibre due to the longer staple length.

What is it? Bamboo fibre is made by shredding the bamboo plant into a pulp and then extruding this into a filament that can be spun into yarn. The bamboo plant grows easily without the use of pesticides or fertilizers, it is biodegradable and grows easily on slopes not usable for other crops.

Why do we use it? Bamboo fibre has a natural sheen, readily absorbs moisture and creates a durable breathable fabric. It has a luxurious soft feel and lovely drape comparable to silk but at a much lower cost. Other desirable properties of bamboo fibre are its natural anti-bacterial nature and wrinkle resistance. We also really like the fact that bamboo is the fastest growing plant in the world that thrives on rain water alone.

What is it? Camel hair comes from the Bactrian camel which is found across Asia with the biggest producers being from Afghanistan, China, Mongolia and Tibet. The camel has a coat of both coarse and fine fibres, which are either shorn or collected during the natural moulting season. Fine camel hair ranges from from 15 to 22µ.

Why do we use it? We use fine camel hair for its luxurious softness, thermostatic properties and beautiful natural fawn colour. The fine soft down from the inner coat of the camel is very lightweight creating great warmth without bulk. Camel hair is quite comparable to cashmere fibre but is available at a lower cost.

What is it? Cashmere fibre is the fine undercoat of the cashmere goat that is found mostly in Asia. The fine fibre ranges from from 12 to 18µ and is mixed with a very coarse coat of guard hairs that must be painstakingly removed after the coat is shorn or moulted.

Why do we use it? We use cashmere in the most luxurious of our blends for its super soft handle and ultimate in lightweight warmth.

What is it? Linen comes from the flax plant, which is harvested and then put through a laborious process to turn its stiff inner core into a beautiful fibre that can be spun into yarn. Some of the best linen in the world is grown and processed in Western Europe. Linen has a high luster with natural shades ranging from ivory to tan and light grey.

Why do we use it? We use linen in small amounts blended with other fibres to achieve a rustic look due to the presence of fibres that are slightly uneven in diameter. Its natural luster creates an elegant knitted fabric perfect for accessories and garments with flowing lines. Linen fibre also adds strength and absorbs moisture very well.

What is it? The ‘masham’ sheep breed is a cross between a Swaledale ewe and a Teeswater ram. Masham wool has a very long staple length of between 15 to 35cm (6 and 14”) and ranges from 28 to 34µ. While it is not the finest of wools, it comes in beautiful natural shades of white, grey and dark brown.

Why do we use it? We use masham wool for its beautiful natural brown colour in blends with other finer wools resulting in a yarn base that when overdyed creates interesting heathered colours.

What is it? Merino wool comes from a breed of sheep by the same name that originated in Spain, but are now found around the world in the common sheep growing regions. This breed of sheep is bred primarily for its very fine wool, which is usually less than 24 µ. The Fibre Co. uses merino wool from countries such as Argentina where mulesing is not practiced as well as from other countries with a certification that the merino is non-mulsed.

Why do we use it? We are very fond of blending merino in many of our yarns due to its fineness and elasticity, which gives good ‘memory’ and ‘bounce’ to a yarn. It is also generally more comfortable on the hands and easier to knit consistent stitches with a more elastic yarn. We like merino for its lightweight yet thermal insulating properties. It adds warmth in colder winter climates and it can keep one cool in warmer summer weather.

What is it? Known as the ‘Diamond Fibre’ due to its luxurious smoothness, lustre, and durability, mohair fibre comes from the Angora goat. It is commonly used in knitting yarns that are brushed as this adds softness and warmth without weight. Mohair fibre from the first two shearings at 6 and 12 months is classed as ‘kid’ mohair, whilst the rest is referred to as ‘adult’ mohair. The micron count varies widely from 24 – 36 µ.

Why do we use it? The Fibre Co. adds mohair to other duller fibres to add sheen to a yarn.

What is it? Silk is produced mainly in China from cocoons spun by silkworms. There are two main types of commercially available silk—mulberry and tussah. Mulberry is a white cultivated form of silk that takes its name from the leaves that the worms eat. Tussah silk cocoons are collected from forests in the wild where the worms feed on the available forest leaves whose tannins give the tussah silk its characteristic dull golden sheen.

Why do we use it? We use silk in blends to add lustre and brilliant colour. Since silk does not have scales, it is very smooth, which means that it adds softness to any yarn blended with silk. Silk also adds strength as it begins as a long continuous filament that is extruded to a desired length. In fact, parachutes were originally made from woven silk fabric due to the strength properties of silk.

What is it? Silk noil, also sometimes called ‘Bourette’, is the short filament left over from spinning fine silk thread.

Why do we use it? When blended with other fibres, silk noil creates a ‘slub’ or uneven yarn. This effect gives the yarn a rustic look and allows us to achieve various colour effects.

Wool nepps are small bits of tangled fibres that are often a by-product of the worsted spinning process. Multiple shades of wool nepps are used in The Fibre Co.’s Arranmore Donegal tweed yarn to give it its rustic flecked appearance.