Alpaca

For my new assignment with the most exclusive cruise ship of the world
I searched for luxury yarns.

I finally ended in Peru.

For thousands of years the people of the Andes have made offerings to the Inca gods, whom they believe dwell in the mountains, the earth, the rivers and the sky.

Merino

One of my favorite types of wool is Merino. This wool comes from the Merino sheep that originally came from Spain and was first discovered in the 12th century.
The fur of the Merino sheep never stops growing. To prevent them from overheating in the summer, they must be shaved at least once a year.
Merino wool is particularly good at keeping the body dry due to its moisture-regulating and absorbing effect.
Unlike regular wool, Merino wool does not itch thanks to a much higher density. This makes my hats and scarves feel wonderfully soft.
Where some fabrics retain less heat when they get wet, this wool also manages to retain body heat when wet.
Merino wool breathes much better than, for example, cotton and other yarns. Moisture evaporates better and overheating is prevented.
You can compare it to a second skin that adapts to different circumstances.

Photo sponsored by Dohne Merino

Qiviut

On one of my quests for the perfect bun for the cruise ship, I came across the Musk ox
The Musk ox is an animal that is not so genetically related to cattle, but more to sheep and goats. The undercoat of Musk oxen, also called Qiviut, is one of the best and rarest natural fibers available. The fiber comes from Alaska, the yarn from Quebec (Canada) and is dyed by hand.
The wool of the Musk ox is eight times warmer than sheep wool based on their weight. It is also softer, smoother and cuddly than the undercoat of cashmere goats. The Musk ox is not shaved, but combed. The undercoat is combed by hand and processed into qiviut products of extremely high quality.
Qiviut means fluff and refers to the inner, insulating fur, the winter fur of the Musk ox. Thanks to this coat, the animals themselves do not suffer from polar storms and extreme minus temperatures.
Musk’s hair is a very rare and very special natural product, because the extraction and processing of Qiviut is about 8 times more expensive than comparable natural fibers. The volume of the quiviut fiber is approximately 60% of the smallest air ducts. This explains the effect of the thermal insulation, which is comparable to no other fiber. Worldwide only about 5-6 tons of musk ox hair is available every year. Cashmere is much more common with 350,000 tons.
Exclusive musk ox hair products will remain a rarity in the future. It is not for nothing that Qiviut is also called the Arctic gold. This material is hard to describe, you have to feel it. It is claimed that when you hold Musk wool in your hands, even the high-quality cashmere wool no longer feels soft enough.
Soon I will feel, see and process it.

Cotton

Madrista’s cotton is not just a cotton, but recycled denim cotton. So give old jeans a second chance!
This sturdy cotton yarn is made from recycled cotton fibers. The fibers come from used jeans, which are broken down step by step and cleaned into the single fiber. After cleaning, the fibers are mixed again and spun into a knitting yarn. The recycling process gives the yarn a nice rustic and attractive structure. It is reminiscent of the bourette side.
The fiber comes from India, the yarn from Portugal and is also dyed there.
Recycled cotton is perfect for light summer and fall clothing.