You know how much we adore all things natural! In fact, the world’s most natural fibres play starring roles throughout the So Cosy range. Despite being kind to the Earth and the creatures that call it home – including the plants and animals that produce them, and the people who wear them – not all fabrics were created equal.
Here we take a closer look at the rarest, softest and most luxurious fibres available, one of which is more expensive than gold!
Vicuña
Remember that very expensive fibre we mentioned earlier? Well, this is it! Vicuña is more expensive than gold, and if you have the opportunity to touch it, you’ll understand why.
Vicuña is sourced from an animal of the same name, which just so happens to be a relative of the alpaca we know and love. Its ultra-fine, undyed, rich, golden colour makes it a highly specialised material. The fact that vicuña can only be shorn once every three years only adds to this status.
It’s the rarest and finest of all the natural fibres, giving it the nickname the ‘Gold of the Andes’. Vicuña wool was so exclusive that only royalty was permitted to wear it in the Inca Empire as BBC Travel explains:
“Incas believed vicuna had special powers: killing them was forbidden. And only Inca nobility was allowed to wear garments made of cloth woven from the vicuna’s extraordinarily fine, cinnamon-coloured coat. That golden fleece, coveted by man for centuries, nearly led to the species extinction – and ultimately became its salvation.”
Whilst times have changed, and vicuña is accessible to every individual who can afford its hefty price tag, it remains one of the planet’s rarest materials.
Baby alpaca
We couldn’t mention super soft materials without giving a nod to one of our favourites. Baby alpaca wool is a key part of our collection, and the perfect material for our scarves, blankets and cushions.
When comparing baby alpaca wool and alpaca wool, this sumptuously soft fabric has all the same qualities and more. Considered the cream of the crop in the world of alpaca wool, it’s gathered from the underside of the neck during an alpaca’s very first shearing. The result is a super soft, fine fleece with cashmere-like qualities.
Silk
Our Liberty scarves use the best of both silk and baby alpaca wool to ensure a luxurious look. Known more for its smoothness, silk is an incredibly soft material, hence its high-end status. It’s also extremely durable, meaning you can enjoy a stylish yet sturdy look for the long haul.
Cashmere
Thanks to the Kashmir goat we can add another all-natural fibre to our list of luxurious materials. Cashmere may not command as high of a price tag as vicuña, but it’s certainly up there due to its small scale and costly production process.
You certainly get what you pay for, with a super soft, naturally beautiful, skin-friendly, long-lasting, year-round staple that you can cherish for many, many seasons to come.
Mohair
Our new Lisos blankets have seen us fall in love with Mohair all over again. Made from the hair of the Angora goat, mohair is well-known and highly regarded for its silk-like softness.
Its fineness makes mohair a delicate wear that shouldn’t be subjected to heavy use. Mohair blankets also need special treatment to stay in tip-top condition, and can’t be washed, bleached, tumble-dried or ironed. Instead, your mohair should be professionally dry-cleaned.
Merino
Merino wool fibres are one-third the diameter of human hair, a fact that makes them incredibly soft. Its super fine nature is particularly kind to the skin as well as temperature regulating and ideal for layering all year round. What’s not to love about Merino wool!
Our love affair with luxurious, natural and super-soft fibres doesn’t end there. We call on a long list of eco-friendly, ethical materials to create the cosy goodies that help you make your house a home. These include alpaca wool, baby alpaca wool, mohair, cashmere, silk, Merino wool, pure new wool, lambswool, linen, and jute.
Discover all these fabulous fibres today right here.
