BY ALLISON LEE
Model, Claire Turner and her husband and daughter moved from London to the New Forest in 2019 primarily for a change of life and a good choice of schools. Just two years later, in 2021, she founded Alpaca Apparel which was inspired by a deep connection to nature and a desire to offer a more sustainable alternative to mass-produced fashion.
Claire’s journey began with a small herd of alpacas and, as her herd grew in size, so did her desire to create luxurious, limited edition alpaca knitwear made from their beautiful fleeces. Claire told me that she was amazed by the amount of fleece that came off each alpaca, but she was informed by her shearer that not many people attempted to do anything with the fleece due to the high processing costs and lack of mills and factories in the UK. Currently, South America has the monopoly on alpaca fibre, but that didn’t stop Claire, and she set out on her journey to make sure our Great British alpaca fleece was seen in the same light as that from South America.
Claire learned how to care for alpacas whilst she was already working with them. Learning on the job meant she had hands-on experience and, what she didn’t know, she learned from guidebooks and watching YouTube videos! She also had the added bonus of a good, knowledgeable vet who she called on whenever she had any concerns.
Claire’s alpacas are sheared every year in mid May. The main part of the alpaca’s fleece, known as the ‘blanket’ which stretches from the side belly over the back and to the other side is sheared in one complete piece. This is the part of the fleece that is used to make the products in Claire’s range. The blankets are then tested for fineness, weighed and sent off to the company’s partner mill, Two Rivers, in Northern Ireland where they are sorted, ready for machining. The fleeces are separated into colourways; Claire does not use any dyes in her fabrics as she prefers to use the natural palettes of her alpaca’s fleeces.
Once the yarns are ready, they are sent to the Knit Design Centre in Leicester. Claire spends some time at the centre, usually in January or February, to discuss product development; by which time she will have already collated designs, sketches and ideas throughout the year. Although Claire hasn’t had any formal training as a designer, her modeling work has served her well as she is very much aware of how clothes should fit and move on the body; she is inspired by the fluidity of the suri alpaca fleece. Claire tells me that the natural colors and textures of the New Forest, which she calls home, inspire the patterns in her clothing.
Swatch testing is carried out at the Knit Design Centre and, if anything requires more structure at that point, then Claire enlists the help of a well-respected knitwear technician, Jo Storie, who also provides the technical measurements that will be translated onto the computer program.
Claire never makes more than 20 pieces of any item as she strives to keep exclusivity to the brand. This is further enhanced because when a new colourway has been created, without the use of dye, once that batch of yarn has been used, there is nothing left to work with. Claire says that micro-producing also ensures there is less waste. She tells me that, ideally, in time, she wants to be able to buy more fleece from local friends with alpacas and help with the longevity of the British Alpaca industry.
Claire loves the countryside and enjoys being with her animals. She finds their calming influences help her de-stress, which is essential when building a brand. She is very passionate about what she does and doesn’t see building the business as being a job, it’s more about educating people about the use of British Alpaca fleece as opposed to importing from South America. If Claire has to pinpoint anything about her venture that can be trying, then she says it is probably time management, as it is difficult to focus on everything when there are baby alpacas running around the fields!
Claire welcomed eight baby alpacas this year as a result of a recent breeding program and her flock is increasing slowly. In addition to running Alpaca Apparel, Claire still does occasional modeling work in London, when time allows, and is constantly shooting content of herself wearing the beautiful garments made from her own alpaca fleeces. There is also another side of the business that Claire runs, which is providing alpacas for events, photoshoots and even weddings.
Claire says she is still learning as she takes the business to its next level and she has big plans for 2026 when she would love to bring the Alpaca Apparel collection to a wider global audience. Claire longs to see change in the British textile industry and whole heartedly champions the use of UK home grown raw fibre instead of importing.
Alpaca fibre is known as the Fibre of the Gods and this, according to Claire, is because of a number of reasons:
- Naturally warm – it has hollow fibers which insulate without bulk
- Lightweight and breathable – which allows comfort across the seasons
- Soft on the skin – it is lanolin-free, gentle and hypoallergenic
- Durable ad resilient – resistant to pilling and stretching
- Moisture-wicking – stays dry and fresh
- Naturally clean – it repels dust, order and stains
- Earth kind – it is biodegradable and low impact
Alpaca Apparel’s goal is to produce high-quality sustainable alpaca clothing that is made with respect for nature and crafted with care. The company’s ethos is to create luxurious knitwear with a minimal environmental footprint and Claire tells me that she is taking things further next year with her plans to plant more trees and hedging and to continue with her regenerative farming which will also look at ways to use alpaca manure and off cuts from the shearing on a larger scale. Currently, nothing is wasted as it is all compostable however, as the company’s herd increases, Claire acknowledges that it will be even more important to utilise their efforts elsewhere.
Claire has won a number of awards for her business including Best of British Small Business Award in the Fashion and Apparel category and she is a finalist in the Hampshire Business Awards for 2025 in both the Best New Business Award and the Sustainability Award.
Allison Lee is a smallholder from North Yorkshire who has written for the Yorkshire Times and other publications. Her website can be accessed here.