Alpaca and merino are tougher than their reputation. What ruins them is heat, friction and the wrong detergent. Avoid those three and a good pair lasts years. The same steps apply to merino.
Do you need to wash them every time?
No. Both fibres resist odour, so after an ordinary day, airing a pair overnight is often enough. Wash after anything sweaty. The longer answer is in how often to wash wool socks.
How to machine wash alpaca socks
- Turn them inside out. The inside is where the sweat goes, and it spares the outer face from pilling.
- Bag them. A washing net bag stops them rubbing against zips and heavier clothes, and keeps pairs together.
- Wool or delicates cycle, 30°C or below. Hot water and hard spinning are what felt and shrink animal fibre.
- Wool detergent. Biological detergents use enzymes that break down protein, and alpaca and wool are protein. Use a wool wash such as our Knitwear & Delicates Detergent.
- No bleach. No fabric conditioner. Conditioner coats the fibre and stops it breathing.
Hand washing
Cool or lukewarm water, a little wool wash, a gentle soak. Rinse in water at the same temperature, since sudden changes encourage felting. Squeeze, don't wring.
How to dry them without shrinking
Never tumble dry. It is the most common way to ruin a wool sock. Press out the water, reshape the heel and toe while damp, and dry flat, away from radiators and direct sun.
Pilling
Some light bobbling in the first few wears is normal with soft fibre and settles down. Take it off gently with a fabric comb. Don't pull at it.
Storing them
Fold rather than ball; balling stretches the cuff. Moths like wool and alpaca as much as you do, so put socks away clean over summer and use something moths dislike. Our Lavender and Thyme Knitwear Mist does that job.
Holes
A worn heel after a few years of walking can be darned. The most sustainable sock is the one you already own.
The checklist
- Inside out, in a net bag
- 30°C or below, wool cycle
- Wool detergent, no conditioner
- No tumble dryer; dry flat
- Fold, don't ball
The long version of all of this is on our sock care guide.
