Frederique Lacombe
Textil Artist, Alpagas des Hauts Vents, Canada
When knitting alpaca yarns which is better? The industrial yarn or the locally produced mini mill yarn.
Most of the yarn from country with a high volume of alpacas, like Peru are spun industrially.
The fiber is cleaned chemically. First they use a alkaline solution to remove dirt, sweat & fatty stains naturally produced by the animals, second is in a bath of acid solution to remove the vegetation pieces that clung to the fleece.
To meet industrial standards the fiber is then treated with both a fire resistant moth resistant product. A Final treatment with a softener can sometimes be use to improve the handfeel of the yarn.
Benefits: A very smooth yarn without any vegetation fragments than can be knitted on industrial machines. The color will be very even. And transformation process is much faster, thus yarn is cheaper.
Drawbacks: the yarn is less durable, the industrial product used making it more fragile. Some people may be allergic to the products use in the process.
When knitting industrial yarns fine fiber particles are release in the air which may irritate people with sensitive respiratory system. The highest quality of fiber is set aside and sold to fashion houses & designers therefore not available to everyone.
Mini mill produce yarn is washed with a ''green'' soap safe for the environment. The vegetation is remove by mechanical process which explains why there are some tiny pieces of hay left in the yarn. When knitting we can remove leftover pieces by hand. It is more difficult to achieve constant results with a mini mill processing.
Dyeing is done with a specific dye in a water bath which leaves no residue in the bath apart from a little salt. The water can be use many times before being toss in the garden. This is the method I use for Alpagas des Hauts-Vents.
Benefits: the process is less damaging to the fibers & safer for the environment. No chemical means this yarn is truly hypoallergenic. The softness is the direct result of the quality of fiber. With proper care, the final product will last forever.
Drawbacks: the slow processing makes the yarn more expensive. When buying dyed yarn , the color may have slight variations. The yarn will not ne as regular as industrial yarn. Rarely, you will find small slubs in the yarn.
My choice is clear. I like to knit a more eco friendly, durable yarn from local farms. The yarn may not be ''perfect'' but is as character, personality. It gives me the best
value for my money.
Most of the yarn from country with a high volume of alpacas, like Peru are spun industrially.
The fiber is cleaned chemically. First they use a alkaline solution to remove dirt, sweat & fatty stains naturally produced by the animals, second is in a bath of acid solution to remove the vegetation pieces that clung to the fleece.
To meet industrial standards the fiber is then treated with both a fire resistant moth resistant product. A Final treatment with a softener can sometimes be use to improve the handfeel of the yarn.
Benefits: A very smooth yarn without any vegetation fragments than can be knitted on industrial machines. The color will be very even. And transformation process is much faster, thus yarn is cheaper.
Drawbacks: the yarn is less durable, the industrial product used making it more fragile. Some people may be allergic to the products use in the process.
When knitting industrial yarns fine fiber particles are release in the air which may irritate people with sensitive respiratory system. The highest quality of fiber is set aside and sold to fashion houses & designers therefore not available to everyone.
Mini mill produce yarn is washed with a ''green'' soap safe for the environment. The vegetation is remove by mechanical process which explains why there are some tiny pieces of hay left in the yarn. When knitting we can remove leftover pieces by hand. It is more difficult to achieve constant results with a mini mill processing.
Dyeing is done with a specific dye in a water bath which leaves no residue in the bath apart from a little salt. The water can be use many times before being toss in the garden. This is the method I use for Alpagas des Hauts-Vents.
Benefits: the process is less damaging to the fibers & safer for the environment. No chemical means this yarn is truly hypoallergenic. The softness is the direct result of the quality of fiber. With proper care, the final product will last forever.
Drawbacks: the slow processing makes the yarn more expensive. When buying dyed yarn , the color may have slight variations. The yarn will not ne as regular as industrial yarn. Rarely, you will find small slubs in the yarn.
My choice is clear. I like to knit a more eco friendly, durable yarn from local farms. The yarn may not be ''perfect'' but is as character, personality. It gives me the best
value for my money.
