Three fibres dominate the conversation around luxury knitwear.
Baby alpaca. Cashmere. Merino wool.
All three are positioned as premium. All three feel exceptional against skin. And all three behave very differently over time — which is the only comparison that actually matters.
What the label doesn't tell you
The word "cashmere" on a label tells you the fibre comes from a cashmere goat.
It does not tell you the micron count. It does not tell you the grade. It does not tell you whether the yarn was blended to reduce cost, or whether the piece will pill after two months of wear.
The same is true of merino. And, in less reputable hands, of alpaca.
This is why understanding the fibre — not just the name — is the only way to make a genuinely informed decision.
Cashmere
Cashmere comes from the undercoat of the cashmere goat, raised primarily in Mongolia, China, and Iran.
At its best — high-grade, long-fibre, properly sourced — it is extraordinarily soft. It has a lightness and a warmth that made it the benchmark for luxury knitwear for most of the twentieth century.
The problem is volume.
Global demand for cashmere has grown faster than the supply of genuinely high-grade fibre. The result is a market flooded with low-grade cashmere — short-fibre, high-micron, blended — that pills within a season and loses its softness after the first wash.
Unless you know exactly what you are buying, cashmere is a gamble.
For dog knitwear specifically, there is another consideration: cashmere is more delicate than it appears. A dog's movement, outdoor exposure, and washing frequency will degrade a cashmere piece faster than almost any other use case.
Merino
Merino wool comes from the merino sheep, raised primarily in Australia and New Zealand.
It is the most functional of the three fibres. Fine-micron merino — anything below 18.5 microns — is genuinely soft against skin and has natural temperature-regulating properties that make it exceptionally practical for knitwear worn in changing conditions.
It also felts under heat and agitation. Wash it incorrectly and you have something unwearable.
For dogs, merino is a solid choice for functional knitwear. It is not, however, the finest option available.
Baby alpaca
Baby alpaca is the first shearing of the alpaca — the finest, softest fibre the animal will ever produce.
Its micron count sits between 18 and 22 microns, comparable to the finest cashmere but with structural properties cashmere cannot match.
It does not contain lanolin, which makes it naturally hypoallergenic — relevant for dogs with sensitive skin.
It does not pill. The fibre structure resists the friction that causes pilling in both cashmere and lower-grade wool.
It softens with wear and washing rather than degrading — the opposite of what happens to cashmere over time.
And it comes from a specific place. The alpaca of the Peruvian highlands, raised at altitude in conditions that cannot be replicated elsewhere, produce a fibre of a quality that the global market has consistently underestimated.
The verdict
For a garment that will be worn regularly, washed repeatedly, and live the life of a dog — outdoors, in movement, in changing weather — baby alpaca is the only fibre that holds up across all the variables.
Cashmere is beautiful in ideal conditions. Merino is practical and reliable.
Baby alpaca is both — and more durable than either.
Why we chose it
Every Colette et Gastón sweater is made from Peruvian Alpaca or 100% Peruvian Cotton. Also our Baby Alpaca Collection is AZO free certificate.
Not because it is the most marketable claim. Because after looking seriously at every option available, it is the fibre that performs best for the life a dog actually lives.
Hand-knit in Huancayo, Peru. From €120.
Discover our full range of baby alpaca dog sweaters → — hand-knit in Huancayo, Peru.
