Quick answer: choose mohair when you want a light, fuzzy halo and a fabric that springs back; choose alpaca when you want dense warmth, a smooth surface and heavy drape. Mohair is the more durable of the two and holds its shape; alpaca is the warmer of the two and is lanolin-free. Kid mohair and baby alpaca are the grades to look for in premium Italian yarn.
Both are goat and camelid fibres that Italian mills spin into luxury yarn, and they are often confused because both sit in the "soft and warm" bracket. In the hand and on the needles they behave very differently. Here is the comparison we give customers who ask which one to buy.
Mohair vs Alpaca at a Glance
| Property | Kid mohair | Baby alpaca |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Angora goat, first two shearings | Huacaya or Suri alpaca, first shearing |
| Fibre diameter | 24–27 micron | 20–23 micron |
| Surface | Fuzzy halo, high lustre | Smooth, soft lustre, no halo |
| Warmth for weight | High | Very high |
| Weight of fabric | Very light | Heavy |
| Elasticity | Good — springs back | Almost none — grows |
| Pilling | Low | Medium |
| Lanolin | Trace | None |
| Best for | Shawls, layers, fitted knits, blends with silk | Sweaters, blankets, scarves, drapey garments |
Is Alpaca Warmer Than Mohair?
Yes. Alpaca is the warmer fibre at equal weight: its fibre is dense and its fabric blocks wind, which is why it dominates blankets and heavy scarves. Mohair is warm too, but it insulates with a light halo of trapped air rather than with mass. The practical difference is that a mohair garment is warm and weightless while an alpaca garment is warm and substantial. For a winter sweater you want to feel, choose alpaca; for warmth you barely notice you are wearing, choose mohair.
Which Is Softer, Kid Mohair or Baby Alpaca?
Baby alpaca is softer to most hands. At 20 to 23 micron it sits close to fine merino, and it has no scales standing proud of the fibre, so it feels smooth against skin. Kid mohair is fine for mohair, 24 to 27 micron, but its halo can tickle, and a few people find it prickly even when the fibre itself is soft. Adult mohair is coarser and belongs in upholstery, not sweaters.
Does Mohair or Alpaca Pill More?
Alpaca pills more. Mohair is one of the most abrasion-resistant animal fibres: it does not pill easily and keeps its look for years. Alpaca is smooth and has little crimp, so short fibres work loose at cuffs and underarms and roll into pills. A little wool in an alpaca blend reduces this a great deal.
Which Holds Its Shape?
Mohair. It has genuine resilience and springs back after stretching, so a fitted mohair cardigan stays fitted. Alpaca has almost no memory: a pure alpaca sweater grows in length with wear and does not fully recover in the wash. If you knit alpaca, use a firmer gauge, choose a relaxed silhouette, or pick a blend with at least 30% wool. See best yarn for sweaters for how this plays out across sweater styles.
Which Is Better for Wool Allergies?
Alpaca. It contains no lanolin, and its smooth fibre irritates sensitive skin less than sheep's wool. Mohair carries a trace of lanolin and its halo can itch; kid mohair is far gentler than adult, but anyone who reacts to wool should try alpaca first.
Mohair vs Alpaca for Shawls and Lace
Mohair, without hesitation. Its lightness and halo are what give a lace shawl its cloud-like look, and a 70/30 kid mohair and silk blend is the classic yarn for it. Alpaca lace is beautiful but heavy, and it stretches under its own weight when worn.
Mohair vs Alpaca for Sweaters and Blankets
Alpaca for blankets and for oversized, drapey sweaters where warmth and weight are the point. Mohair for fitted sweaters, cardigans and anything you plan to wear over a shirt, where lightness and shape retention matter. Many knitters hold a strand of mohair together with merino to get halo plus structure in one fabric.
Popular Italian Blends
- Kid mohair + silk (70/30) — airy, lustrous, with the full halo. The lace and layering classic.
- Mohair + merino — halo with excellent shape retention. Good for fitted sweaters.
- Alpaca + merino (50/50 or 70/30) — alpaca warmth with merino spring. The most forgiving way to knit alpaca.
- Alpaca + silk — heavy, lustrous drape for scarves and shawl-collar cardigans.
Colour and Dyeing
Both take dye well. Mohair's lustre makes colours look lit from inside, which is why so many mohair-silk yarns come in saturated jewel tones. Alpaca offers more than twenty natural shades from white through fawn to true black, so it is the choice for undyed, natural-colour knitting.
Price
At retail, kid mohair and baby alpaca sit in the same price band. Through stock and destock lots the same original mill yarn typically costs around half the list price, and often less. Browse mohair yarns and alpaca yarns, or read the fuller mohair yarn guide and alpaca vs wool. Working from cones, the yarn calculator tells you how many ends to hold and how many grams a garment takes.