Thanks to the alpaca fibre’s small diameter, also known as micron, alpaca wool has a soft, smooth, and silky feel, making the clothing feel cool to the touch while still providing warmth. Alpaca wool is naturally water repellent due to its low water retention rate, and as a result it can wick away perspiration. Each individual alpaca fibre also has air pockets within which give the fibre a lightweight quality and makes the clothing material breathable.
All of this means that your alpaca clothing is working hard to keep you cool and dry when it’s a bit warmer, and warm when the wind picks up and those cool fronts sweep through. On a daily basis this can look like you wearing a lighter knit jumper as a base layer, and a heavier layer like a chunky cardigan, knitted poncho, or coat over the top that you can easily take off and don’t feel like you are lugging around with you.
Browse online or visit our store (when we’re open again) if you’re looking for some key pieces for your transeasonal wardrobe.
]]>Liz and Keith first fell in love with alpacas before they fell in love with alpaca wool and the products it’s made from. At the time they were living on their chestnut orchard in the Buckland Valley in northeast Victoria. Tired of mowing over 40 acres of grass, Keith started looking into livestock they could graze under the chestnut trees instead.
As vegetarians, they were reluctant to purchase animals that were produced for their meat, and wanted a herd that would not damage the chestnut trees or the ground they walked on. Alpacas easily fit these requirements and the fact they are incredibly cute was a huge bonus!
They purchased three female alpacas, one already pregnant with a cria (that’s what a baby alpaca is called FYI). It was perfect timing because Liz and Keith’s two children had just moved out of home at the same time, and they were definitely feeling empty-nest syndrome.
As they got to know the alpacas more and more and welcomed their first cria into the world, their interest in the alpaca breeding industry quickly overtook anything else they were doing and their stud herd Buckland Alpacas was born.
To make it as a successful alpaca breeder, where other studs are sourcing your animals for their genetics, you need to attend alpaca shows where your animals are judged on their physical composition and their fleeces. It’s taken 20 years of considered breeding and consistent showing, but Buckland Alpacas is now one of the most highly regarded herds in Australia.
At this year’s National Alpaca Show in Bendigo Victoria, Liz and Keith won Champion Junior Female, Best White Female, Reserve Champion Junior Male, Reserve Champion Intermediate Female, and Champion Adult Male. Another fantastic result for Buckland Alpacas!
]]>Liz and Keith cofounded the alpaca business in 2003 when both their kids moved out of home, and they were looking for some livestock to graze their chestnut orchard without damaging the trees and land. Their obsession with alpacas quickly took over and they grew their herd from three to over 100 alpacas. Nowadays they are a renowned alpaca stud with people sourcing their animals from across Australia and the world.
They started Alpaca Passion to showcase the products made from the alpacas they were breeding. At the time, not much was known about alpaca wool and what makes it special, and it wasn’t widely used or sold outside of South America, the home of the alpaca. A lot has changed since then and alpaca wool is favoured over other natural fibres because of its incredibly soft handle, warmth, and lightness.
Commercially alpaca wool is blended with a lot of other fibres, both natural and synthetic, with some “alpaca” garments containing as little as 5% alpaca. What sets our product range apart is that all our garments, homewares and accessories contain a minimum of 70% alpaca, and we only blend with other fibres when it is necessary for the structure of that garment, like using elastic in our socks, or it enables us to use the alpaca yarn in different and unique ways.
In 2016, Liz and Keith’s daughter Cassie joined the business fulltime after working in visual merchandising and product development. Liz and Cassie launched their own label, A.P. MODA, in 2017 and have been designing and sourcing their range in Peru since. Cassie has had a small hiatus from the business for the last few years after welcoming her son Ollie into the world in March 2021 and relocating to Sydney, but after making the move back to Kyneton and giving birth to her second son Archie in July, she has now gone into partnership with Liz and Keith to continue Alpaca Passion’s future into the next generation.
]]>Our current store was a great fit for us when our farm was still in northeast Victoria, as it had heaps of storage space and accommodation facilities above, but since moving the alpaca herd to Lauriston five years ago, we no longer need accommodation or as much storage on site.
We feel like the size of our new store will be a better fit for our range and we’re excited to take you along for the ride as we renovate the space and put the Alpaca Passion stamp on it. Stay tuned to our Instagram account for some behind the scenes stories and an update on when we’ll be opening the doors.
While we’re not moving far, it feels like a completely different pocket of Vincent Street that we’re sure you’ll love to explore. Frances Pilley are our direct neighbours, selling a gorgeous range of products, while across the roundabout Winespeake provides the perfect spot for a rest after all that retail therapy.
We’re also embarking on a brand refresh, working with our friend Riyani at Honey Design Studio. Liz and Keith designed our current branding themselves when they first opened a small shop on their farm in the Buckland Valley, and while it has served us well, we think a refresh is exactly what we need as we embark on this next phase in Alpaca Passion’s history.
We’re closed until our new shop at 30 Vincent Street is ready, but in the meantime, you can still shop with us online or call us on 03 5348 1177 for any enquiries.
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