Exclusive Designs
Isles of Avalon has designed a range of luxury knitwear that takes full advantage of the unique properties of the wonderfully soft and natural alpaca fibre. Inspired by traditional English motifs, all our garments are hand made exclusively to our own designs in Peru, the home of the alpaca. Here, in ancient times, their fleece was known as the "Fibre of the Gods". Only members of the Inca royal family were allowed to wear this luxurious fibre, upon pain of death!
Alpaca - A Softer, Kinder Fibre
Today, fortunately, we can use
this royal fibre without fear of such painful consequences. In fact,
alpaca is one of the best natural fibres to use in knitwear, being both
kinder to the skin and kinder to the environment than most
alternatives. Alpaca
is a natural fibre that is soft, fine and lustrous, second only to silk
in strength, comparable to cashmere for luxury. It makes wonderfully
warm yet lightweight garments which do not pill like wool and cashmere.
It's greater fineness already means it will be kinder to the skin,
especially the very finest fibre, called "baby". All our garments are individually made in small
quantities, and carefully hand finished, using the finest alpaca yarns
specially selected by us to ensure the highest level of quality,
comfort and style.
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Our
hand knitted garments are individually crafted Devon using only the
softest luxury baby alpaca or baby alpaca and silk mix yarns. They
are based on my own designs which incorporate traditional lace and
stitch patterns. Many of the baby and children’s garments are knitted
from my memory of the traditional designs used by my mother and
grandmother, which lend themselves well to the softness and warmth of
baby alpaca. Some others are my interpretation of designs in an Italian
baby-wear boutique we saw whilst on holiday. Beautifully soft and
warm, these delicate alpaca handknits are a very special gift for a
very special little person.
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Most
of these exclusive designs are influenced by the character of the
different yarns. The baby alpaca and silk blend lends itself to an
elegant wrap or scarf design that requires drape, whilst the brushed
yarn asks to be made into something warm and chunky to snuggle into. Inspired
by traditional patterns, these handcrafted garments in soft natural
alpaca offer a unique and treasured gift for a friend – or perhaps even
a small treat for yourself.
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These simple yet fashionable designs can be worn on almost any occasion. For people with more sensitive skins, the natural properties of alpaca fibre make these luxurious garments an ideal choice.
Alpaca is a natural fibre that is soft, fine and lustrous, second only to silk in strength, comparable to cashmere for luxury. It makes wonderfully warm yet lightweight garments which do not pill like wool and cashmere. It's greater fineness already means it will be kinder to the skin, especially the very finest fibre, called "baby".
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Taking our inspiration from the natural colour palette of the alpaca, these soft, elegant designs evoke the varying seasons of the year and the English countryside in their delicate use of hand embroidery.
The specially selected yarns used in our Naturals range have undergone the very minimum amount of processing. This is intended to reduce further the impact on the environment - and on your skin. Only the best un-dyed alpaca fibre is good enough for our Naturals designs.
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A unique range of very special natural alpaca yarns. Our own Isles of Avalon range is spun from the very finest baby alpaca fibre to make a luxurious yarn with the extreme softness and subtle lustre only the best alpaca can offer. Four yarn types are available, each with its own unique character. Three of the yarns are made from the finest undyed, unbleached natural white fibre, and are ideal for hand dyeing. The forth yarn is our latest addition to the range - pure baby alpaca in the natural fleece colour of three individual animals from our own farm, spun locally. Available in Dark Chocolate, Medium Fawn and Light Cream.
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A unique range of delicate designs, produced exclusively for Isles of Avalon, all using the finest alpaca yarns. Except for the Bouclee style, all scarves use 100% pure unbleached alpaca fibre, in natural or hand-dyed colours.
Wherever possible, only minimal processing and no harsh chemicals, such as scouring agents, bleach, dyes or mordents have been used at any stage in their production. So it's better for your sensitive skin - and also better for the environment, as waste products are practically nil, compared to the processing requirements of other fibres. |
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Our furry friends are available in a wide range of colours. In fact,
alpacas come in so many different shades, that almost every one of our
paca-pets is a different colour combination.
We will try find
one that suits you, but we can't promise you an exact colour. The basic
choice is a lighter or darker shade. If you would like something more
specific, send us an email with your preference, and we'll do our
best!
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