An Alpaca Sweater is warm, breathable, sustainable, and multi-purpose
Whether you’re out on the town, taking a mid-hike snack break, cozying up at home, or traveling abroad, an alpaca sweater is the perfect choice. These highly versatile, knit wool garments look and feel as good on the summit as they do at the coffee shop. Alpaca wool is warmer, softer, and faster drying than merino, hypo-allergenic, odor-resistance, and easily outclasses polyester or cotton by virtually every performance measure. Wear it once and you won’t want to take it off!
Alpaca is our favorite natural fiber; while you’re here, don’t miss our guides to Alpaca Hoodies, Alpaca Socks, and Alpaca vs Merino Wool.
Why only PAKA & Arms of Andes: Alpaca wool is a developing market and we’re very picky about vetting brands. At this time, we only recommend PAKA and Arms of Andes. Not only for their quality, but also because both are committed to sustainable business practices, traceability, and supporting local communities in Peru.
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Cover photo: PAKA Mountain Crew
Alpaca Sweater Quick Picks
- Editor’s Choice, Warm & Rugged: PAKA Mountain Crew
- Editor’s Choice, Versatility: PAKA Lightweight Crew
- Editor’s Choice, Outdoor Sport Layering: Arms of Andes 300 Lightweight
- Top Pick, Versatility: PAKA The Original Crew
- Top Pick, Warm Climates: PAKA Ultralight Crew
Alpaca Sweater Comparison table
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| Sweater | Price ($) | Warmth | Material |
| PAKA Mountain Crew | 165 | High |
54% Alpaca, 33% nylon, 13% wool
|
| PAKA Original Crew | 149 | Medium |
65% Alpaca, 35% nylon
|
| PAKA Lightweight Crew | 145 | Medium |
65% Alpaca, 35% nylon
|
| Arms of Andes 300 Light | 140 | Medium | 100% alpaca |
| PAKA Ultralight Crew | 139 | Low |
50% Alpaca, 30% cotton, 20% polyester
|
PAKA Mountain Crew
Editor’s Choice, Warm & Rugged
PAKA Mountain Crew is the warmest and toughest alpaca sweater in my wardrobe, ready for the rigors of winter adventure travel. What sets this design apart is the unique stitch pattern which adds thickness, snag-resistance, and stretch-rebound. The alpaca-nylon fabric blend speeds up dry time and further boosts durability. The biggest drawback to this design is that it’s a bit too warm for moderate temps and cut with 13% generic wool. But here in Seattle, it’s the one I grab most.
- Price: $165
- Materials: 54% alpaca, 33% nylon, 13% wool
- Pros: Editor’s choice. Thickest and warmest. Most durable
- Cons: Too warm for moderate temps. Cut with mystery wool
Paka Lightweight Crew
Editor’s Choice, Versatility
PAKA The Lightweight Crew is more than just a lighter version of the popular Original Crew. It features a tighter knit with finer yarns, in addition to a mesh-like back yoke and side panel that boost breathability in key areas. The tighter knit throughout the body increases durability and snag resistance, while also improving stretch rebound. However, this also reduces breathability in those zones. From aesthetics that can be dressed up or down, to warmth-levels for most occasions, this is likely the most versatile sweater in our guide. However, those in colder climates shopper for a winter sweater should look to a thicker option. We also note the unisex-only fit.
- Price: $145
- Materials: 65% Alpaca, 35% Nylon
- Pros: Versatile thickness/warmth level. Good stretch rebound. Breathability panels. Very soft.
- Cons: Not the warmest. Unisex fit only.
Arms of Andes 300 Lightweight Alpaca Sweater
Editor’s Choice, Outdoor Sport Layering
The Arms of Andes 300 Lightweight is an adventure mid-layer made with 100% natural fiber. It’s tough, stretchy, and understated, perfect when paired with a backpack and mountain summit. However, the dense knit and lack of ribbing (or flourishes of any kind) have it looking more like a long sleeve tee shirt than a traditional sweater. But for the outdoor adventurer who wants an all natural mid-layer, this is a great choice. If you’re in between sizes, we recommend going up.
- Price: $140
- Materials: 100% alpaca
- Pros: All natural. Dense, durable knit. Good stretch rebound. Thin-but-warm, great for layering
- Cons: Dense knit is less airy. Looks more like a long sleeve tee shirt.
Paka The Original Crew
Top Pick, Versatility
The Original Crew is a sweater version of PAKA’s best-selling hoody, with a proven, midweight knit fabric and cult-like following. It likely the best selling alpaca sweater, and the softest in my wardrobe. While the large yarns with an open knit add warmth and breathability respectively, the structure seem to hinder stretch-rebound. After lots of heavy wear, it becomes larger, looser, and drapier. If you’re in between sizes, consider going down, unless you prefer a relaxed fit.
- Price: $149
- Materials: 65% Alpaca, 35% Nylon
- Pros: Versatile thickness/warmth. Best-selling. Very breathable. Very soft.
- Cons: Stretches out. Runs large.
PAKA Ultralight Crew
Top Pick, Warm Climates
For a great looking, summer-weight, knit alpaca sweater, we highly recommend the PAKA Ultralight Crew. Again, this is not just a thinner version of The Crew; it has a different fabric blend altogether. In addition to 50% alpaca, the Ultralight Crew is comprised of 30% cotton and 20% CoolMax polyester. These two fabrics boost breathability and moisture wicking, while decreasing insulative value because neither are as fuzzy as alpaca. Despite that, it’s still very soft which makes this the perfect sweater to add a little something extra on cool summer nights. However, unless you live in or are traveling to a warm climate, we recommend buying something thicker first, and coming back to Ultralight Crew for a secondary sweater.
- Price: $139
- Materials: 50% alpaca, 30% cotton, 20% polyester
- Pros: Light and airy. Perfect for warm, dry climates. Very soft.
- Cons: Slower dry time because cotton. Not warm enough for winter.
Alpaca Sweater Buyer Consideration
While 100% alpaca is the warmest and most natural composition, it isn’t always better in terms of performance. Blending alpaca with synthetic fibers like Nylon increases strength and speeds up dry time. Blending alpaca with plant-based fibers like cotton or Tencel increases softness and breathability. There isn’t a strictly best fabric blend, choose based on your use case and preferences!
- Cotton/Tencel: Adds breathability, softness, durability. Decreases warmth, slows dry time.
- Polyester/Nylon: Increases strength, speeds dry time. Decreases warmth and naturalness, increases odor.
- Merino/Other wool: Increases stretch rebound. Decreases warmth, softness.
Don’t miss our guide to Alpaca Hoodies
Alpaca Sweater Conclusion
We love an alpaca sweater because it’s the optimal blend of coziness and versatility; perfect for travel. All of the sweaters in this buyer’s guide are made by ethical brands that care about sustainably made products and give back to local communities in Peru. Whichever you pick, we know you’ll love it. Happy trails!
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