WASHING AN ALPACA THROW 

The Beyond Borders blankets and throws that are made with Alpaca and Wool are strictly DRY CLEAN ONLY. If machine or hand washed, even when using delicate methods, it will result in loss of fabric smoothness and shrinkage. Unless the blanket states “machine wash” on its care-tag, please dry clean only.

 

MINIMIZING DRY CLEAN

Since dry cleaning is not good for the environment, we would suggest occasionally hanging your alpaca throw outside, away from direct sunlight, to air out. However, one of the best characteristics of alpaca fibers is that you can go a long way between cleaning, as they are naturally odour, stain, and wrinkle resistant.

  

STORING & PREVENTING DAMAGE

For those seasonal and decor changes, when you need to store away your alpaca throw or blanket, please consider the following and perform the proper precautions the below.

As alpaca blankets or throws can last for decades, the greatest threat for causing them damage are moths and other pests during storage. Before you put it away in a safe place please do the following:

- Dry clean it. (Insects are attracted to dirt ,food, and certain chemical attractants from your perfume, deodorant, musk, etc.)

- Store it with cedar repellents or lavender moth balls.

- Store in a cool and dry area. (I.e. linen closet, under the bed, dressers, etc), avoid humid areas of your home. 

- Never use plastic or dry cleaning bags for your alpaca, as this will cause moisture to build up and the fibers will felt. It will trap moisture and prevent the lavendar/cedar-permeated air from penetrating the fabric and warding off moths and other pests. The biggest offender to natural fibers is moisture. Avoid storing in a basement, garage or other humid areas of your home.

 

PREVENTING AND REMOVING PILLS

Pilling is the process of forming little fuzzballs on a piece of textile typically caused by friction against fibers and damp, humid and/or wet environments. A pill is an undesirable characteristic as it shows wear-and-tear. Eventually, all fabrics tend to pill to a certain degree. However, Alpaca woolen garments pill less than other wool fibers thanks to its special fiber. Their texture, length, and strength limit pilling.

Whenever pilling occurs, you should never try to pull them out. Most pills are still attached to your garment through the longer and stronger hairs. If you pull the pill off, it might pull out the stronger hairs, too, making it easier for pills to start forming in other parts.  If the fibers start to tangle and pill, regular brushing with a lint brush or nylon bristled clothing brush can untangle the surface and give the best results.