“High-dwelling companions of the puffy white clouds” is how a 1946 National Geographic article describes the alpaca, a domesticated animal that has provided wool to Quechua Indians for thousands of years. Alpaca wool is warm, lightweight, and easily sheds rain and snow, making it an ideal fiber for the windswept Andes. This alpaca-blend cardigan features patterns inspired by the embroidered hems of Peruvian women’s skirts. Single-button closure. Fine-gauge alpaca blend.

Made in Peru. 40% alpaca, 30% sheep's-wool, 30% acrylic. Women’s sizes S (4–6), M (8–10), L (12–14), XL (16).

Hand-wash or dry clean.

Indigenous people in South America have raised alpaca for its fleece for thousands of years before Europeans learned about the animal and exported alpaca fiber to Spain in the 16th and 17th centuries. Today this domesticated animal is bred throughout the world, but its native habitat is the Andean altiplano: Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile.

Descended from the wild vicuña, alpaca resemble a cross between a llama and a sheep. Its fleece is similar to sheep's wool, but is usually softer, less prickly, and has minimal lanolin content, making it virtually hypoallergenic. Its extreme warmth, relatively light weight, and natural resistance to water make alpaca wool an ideal fabric for the frigid winters of the Andean altiplano. These qualities have also led to a rise in the use of alpaca fiber in outdoor gear and active wear, although it is also easily spun into a fine enough yarn for use in suits and other dress wear.

Most alpaca products can be treated as you would an object made of sheep's wool—hand wash using a mild soap and lukewarm water, or dry clean—but check the tag or manufacturer's instructions for specific instructions.