Hooray, they're back! The ILOE by LES RACINES DU CIEL is the kind of sweater that we now understand perfectly why customers keep coming back for. Made from 100% baby alpaca, finely and airily knitted, and featuring a beautiful, subtle V-neck. It’s not a thick, bulky wool item, but rather an elegant alpaca sweater that is wonderfully warm without feeling heavy.
And those colors! We have the ILOE this season in Grege, Dark Green, Olive, Plum, and Denim Blue. Five beautiful, easy-to-match shades in which the slightly heathered character of the baby alpaca shows off incredibly well.
- 100% baby alpaca
- Fine, soft, and airy knit structure
- Subtle V-neck
- Slightly heathered appearance
- Temperature-regulating and wonderfully warm
- Available in 5 colors: Grege, Dark Green, Olive, Plum, and Denim Blue
- Fits true to size; if you are between sizes, we recommend the larger one
- From the French brand LES RACINES DU CIEL
Why is baby alpaca so incredibly soft?
Anyone who has ever felt good baby alpaca knows why we are so enthusiastic about it. For this sweater, LES RACINES DU CIEL uses Peruvian baby alpaca with a fiber fineness of approximately 19 to 22 microns. This results in an incredibly soft, fine fiber that feels wonderful against the skin.
And to be clear: ‘baby alpaca’ does not necessarily mean the wool comes from a baby alpaca. The name refers to the fineness and quality of the selected fibers. It belongs to the more luxurious grades of alpaca wool.
Moreover, alpaca naturally contains hardly any lanolin, the wool fat found in sheep's wool. As a result, alpaca is often experienced as pleasant by people who react sensitively to regular wool. Of course, we cannot provide a guarantee that you will never react to it or that it absolutely won't itch for everyone—every skin is different—but baby alpaca is one of the softest wool varieties we know.
How warm is the ILOE baby alpaca sweater?
That is perhaps the best thing about this sweater: it is warm without being thick. Alpaca fibers provide excellent insulation, while the sweater itself is finely and airily knitted. This means you don't immediately feel like you're wearing a huge winter sweater.
Alpaca is also temperature-regulating. This makes the ILOE not only great in the middle of winter, but also very suitable for spring and autumn, and for days when the temperature fluctuates significantly during the day.
How does the LES RACINES DU CIEL ILOE fit?
The ILOE has a normal, feminine fit and is true to size. Are you between two sizes? Then we would choose the larger size. Not because the sweater runs small, but because we think baby alpaca looks best when it doesn't fit too tightly against the body.
The subtle V-neck also makes it very easy to combine. Wear it directly on the skin, with a camisole underneath, or over a blouse. And another tip we once received from a customer that turned out to work surprisingly well: try wearing it backwards. This gives you a higher neckline at the front and the V at the back. Two sweaters for the price of one. ;-)
What makes LES RACINES DU CIEL special?
LES RACINES DU CIEL was founded in 2005 by Nathalie Goyette and Christian Tournafol and is based in Quimper, Brittany. The brand creates feminine, timeless clothing and consciously works with producers and craftspeople to preserve traditional knowledge and local employment.
That is exactly why the brand fits so well with Natur-el: beautiful materials and clothing that you can enjoy for years, but also with attention for the people who make it.
How do you wash a 100% baby alpaca sweater?
Preferably as little as possible! Alpaca hardly absorbs odors and definitely does not need to be washed after every few wears. Hang your sweater outside overnight to air it out. Often that is all it needs.
Does it still need to be washed? Always use a detergent without lanolin for alpaca. Our own WASHPACA detergent for alpaca has been specially developed for this. Alpaca itself hardly contains lanolin and therefore does not need the extra lanolin found in traditional wool detergents.
Wash carefully according to the care label, gently reshape the sweater after washing, and let it dry flat. Do not hang it up: wet knitwear is heavy and can therefore stretch out of shape.
Can a baby alpaca sweater pill?
Yes. Even with a high-quality baby alpaca sweater, pilling can occur, especially in areas where friction occurs, such as under the arms or along a coat. This is part of natural, soft fibers and says nothing about the quality of your sweater.
Above all, do not pull the fuzz off with your fingers. By doing so, you pull more fibers out of the knit and eventually make the problem worse. Instead, carefully use a Gleener fabric shaver. This allows you to remove loose fibers without pulling at your beautiful sweater.
Frequently asked questions about the ILOE alpaca sweater
What is the ILOE made of?
The sweater consists of 100% baby alpaca. LES RACINES DU CIEL uses fine Peruvian alpaca fibers for this.
Does baby alpaca itch?
Baby alpaca has very fine fibers and therefore feels exceptionally soft. Many people who find regular wool itchy find alpaca much more pleasant. However, sensitivity remains personal, so we prefer not to promise that no skin will ever react to it.
Which colors of the ILOE do you have?
We have this sweater in Grege, Dark Green, Olive, Plum, and Denim Blue.
What should I do if my alpaca sweater starts to pill?
A little pilling can occur with soft natural fibers. Do not pull the fuzz off, but remove it carefully with a Gleener.
Which detergent should I use for baby alpaca?
Preferably use a special alpaca detergent without added lanolin. We recommend WASHPACA for this. And remember: the less often you wash this sweater, the better. Airing it out usually works wonders.
