Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Nordic Design Special – Finnish Art, Craft & Design
wear our products year after year, and we also offer a mending service to give a new lease of life to worn and frayed items,” Hilliaho explains.
A fibre of wonder The wool used by Alpa continues to be imported from Peru, where the alpaca was first domesticated thousands of years ago. Grazing high on the Andean hillsides, the animal grows a thick layer of hair to protect it from the elements. The hair is sheared annually before being spun into wool that resembles lambswool but is finer and softer. It also lacks lanolin, a type of oil that causes an allergic reaction in some. There are fewer than ten million alpacas in the world, making it a rare source of wool despite its excellent suitability for colder climes. Alpa collaborates with local Peruvian producers that have a track record of sustainable practices, before sending the yarn to Lithuania, where the final products are made. “Our products are knit fully fashioned, which means it’s less likely they will unravel. It’s also a way of minimising the amount of yarn wasted,” says Hilliaho.
own strengths to the table. “We like to think that we are making products we ourselves like to wear every day: we know where all the materials come from and that the products are as good as they can possibly be.” The learning curve has been steep, as none of them knew much about alpacas or sweaters before joining the company – but they were all convinced by Timlin’s enthusiasm. “When I joined Alpa three years ago, I asked Heikki where he lives. ‘On a camping site in a caravan,’ he said. The Christmas season was approaching, and he preferred to invest his money into buying more yarn!”
sustainability is viable in the fashion industry, too. In the beginning, many might have called Heikki crazy for diving head first into this, but it goes to show that sometimes even the unexpected works out beautifully.” Web: Finnish: Alpa.fi Swedish: Alpaknitwear.se International: Alpaknitwear.com Facebook: alpaknitwearcom Instagram: @alpaknitwear
Since the first products were sold in 2014, Alpa has grown rapidly without external funding. Last year, the company sold over 9,000 garments. Many consumers are actively looking for new alternatives to oil-based, synthetic fibres such as acrylic and polyamide, which insulate poorly and wear out quickly. Hilliaho attributes the company’s success to excellent word of mouth; marketing is easier when the products themselves are so great.
The team of Alpa is still small, and there is a feeling of intimacy in what the company does. Everyone brings their
“I think it’s important to continuously challenge yourself to be better at what you do. Everyone at Alpa is quite young and very motivated to make our mark in the industry, as well as to show that
Alpaca makes for finer sweaters than lambswool.
Alpacas are sheared for fine and soft wool.
Alpa’s designs are inspired by Nordic nature.
Alpa provides wool items for both men and women.
All in
Issue 119 | December 2018 | 39