Alpaca Fiber Socks – Premium Alpaca Socks

Alpaca socks keep feet warm, dry and comfortable. Alpaca fiber insulates well, moves moisture away from the skin and contains no lanolin, so it suits most people who find sheep's wool itchy. Classic Alpaca's alpaca fiber socks list the exact alpaca content on every pair, and most of our styles carry between 40% and 64% alpaca.

The rest of the blend matters too: nylon reinforces the heel and toe, and elastic keeps the sock in place.

Alpaca socks perform very well in cold weather. Alpaca fiber traps warm air inside the yarn, and it keeps feet warm even when it gets a little damp from sweat. For the coldest days, Classic Alpaca recommends its heavy boot socks, such as the Premium Alpaca Heavy Boot Unisex Socks, a dense, cushioned knit made for winter boots.

Choose a size that is snug but not tight: a sock that squeezes the foot cuts circulation and feels colder.

Yes. Alpaca fiber is smooth and contains no lanolin, the natural wax that bothers some people, so alpaca socks usually feel soft and itch-free. Classic Alpaca's therapeutic styles add cuffs that won't leave marks on the skin, a cushioned sole and reinforced heels and toes, which makes them a good choice for sensitive feet.

Every sock is a blend, so check the composition on the product page if you react to synthetic fibers.

Alpaca socks help keep foot odor down. Alpaca fiber wicks moisture away from the skin, and drier feet leave odor-causing bacteria less to feed on, so a pair stays fresher between washes than a cotton sock that holds sweat. Many Classic Alpaca styles add a breathable knit or terry cushioning that helps air move around the foot.

Letting a pair air out for a day between wears also helps the fiber recover.

Durability comes from the blend and the construction. Pure alpaca is soft but wears through at friction points, so Classic Alpaca blends alpaca fiber with nylon and elastic and reinforces the heel and toe on its premium styles. Our socks are knitted on industrial machines for even tension and consistent sizing, pair after pair.

Washing them cold and drying them on low heat keeps the fibers from shrinking or stretching.

The softest alpaca socks combine a high share of fine alpaca fiber with a gentle, cushioned knit. At Classic Alpaca, the therapeutic socks are among the softest: the Premium Alpaca Therapeutic Unisex Socks pair a cushioned sole with a fit that won't leave marks. Our baby alpaca dress socks are very soft too, in a thinner knit.

Terry-lined styles, such as our hiking and Christmas print socks, feel plush inside as well.

Follow the care instructions on the band of each pair: machine wash cold, tumble dry low, do not bleach and do not iron. Turn the socks inside out, use a mild detergent and press the water out instead of wringing them. Hand washing in cold water works too.

Store them fully dry; cedar chips or lavender sachets help keep moths away.

Yes. Classic Alpaca socks are machine washable: the band of each pair says machine wash cold and tumble dry low. Use a gentle cycle, turn the socks inside out and put them in a mesh laundry bag, and skip bleach and the iron.

Hot water and high dryer heat are what shrink alpaca fiber, so keep both cold and low.

You can buy high quality alpaca fiber socks from Classic Alpaca, a wholesale supplier of alpaca products since 2003 for retailers, boutiques and alpaca farms across the United States. Stores open a free wholesale account to see prices and order online. Shoppers buying a few pairs for themselves can find many of our styles at AlpacaNow Boutique, our retail store.

Our socks are knitted in Peru, and every pair lists its exact alpaca percentage.

Online, Classic Alpaca sells its alpaca fiber socks in two places: wholesale at classicalpaca.com, where approved stores see prices and order online, and retail at AlpacaNow Boutique (alpacanowboutique.com), which sells single pairs to shoppers. Both list the composition of each style, so you can compare the exact alpaca content before you buy.

AlpacaNow Boutique offers free standard shipping above a set order amount; wholesale shipping depends on each order.

For everyday wear, look at Classic Alpaca's ankle, athletic, golf and dress socks. They use thinner knits than our boot and hiking styles, so they fit in sneakers and dress shoes and breathe on warmer days. Good picks are the Premium Sport Golf Socks and the Premium Alpaca Herringbone Dress Socks.

Crew styles from our casual range also work all year round.

Quality alpaca socks cost more than cotton or acrylic socks because of the fiber they contain. At AlpacaNow Boutique, Classic Alpaca's retail store, our alpaca socks currently sell for about $13 to $47 a pair, depending on the alpaca content, the knit and the construction; heavy boot and ski socks sit at the top of that range.

Stores buy at wholesale prices, which they can see once their account is approved.