“Natural, all-purpose clothing for people who love the outdoors”
PAKA apparel is made from Alpaca wool sourced from the mountains of Peru. The thought behind wearing Alpaca fibers is that the Alpaca has evolved in one of the most dynamic climates on Earth. These animals hit both extremes – very hot, and very cold. Since the Alpaca thrives on both of these extremes, it’s one of the most versatile and natural fibers on the planet.
PAKA has an amazing website, inspiring story and great customer service. In this post, we give you a rundown of the company and review two of their most popular products — The Hoodie and The Original Crew.
👉 Checkout out PAKA Apparel HERE! 🦙
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About PAKA
Founded in Peru, Paka’s mission is to create natural, all-purpose clothing for people who love the outdoors.
Paka was created to bring you closer to where your clothing comes from, what it’s made of, and who made it. Nature holds all the answers we need, and through evolution has created the natural technology found in our materials today.
— Official Paka Website
PAKA values working with the Earth to create a better planet and emphasizes the fact that they are locally driven and deeply connected with the communities they work with and employ to create their products. They work with weaving communities in the Cusco region of Peru on a fair-trade basis, donate a percentage of all their sales to partner organizations working to improve access to education and the livelihoods of farmers throughout the country and are designed as a certified B Corporation.
➡️ Read: Unbound Merino – Best Merino Wool for Travel 🐏
A Company that Truly Cares 💚
We were really impressed by the intentional practices and history behind the brand. They really live out their mission through all that they do. For example, each of their products includes a tag on the inside with the name of the local artisan who made it ❤️ Here are some of the other cool benefits of using Alpaca fiber.
Benefits of Alpaca fiber: 🦙 💛 🦙
- As soft as cashmere: Royal alpaca – the top 1% selection of fiber is 18-19 microns. Cashmere is typically 19 microns (the lower the micron count, typically the softer the fiber). Additionally, alpaca is hypoallergenic, meaning it doesn’t have that itchy grease (lanolin) in other wools.
- Super lightweight: Alpaca fiber is 3x lighter than sheep’s wool.
- Thermoregulating: Alpacas have adapted to an alpine climate that can shift from -0 to 80F. Through that evolution, their fibers developed medullated hollow air pockets for insulating heat while allowing breathability.
- Moisture-wicking: The low moisture-retention rate for Alpaca fiber means that it dries super quickly. Alpaca’s water retention rate is around 8%, compared to 16-20% of most other wool.
- Odor-resistant: Alpaca fibers contain a keratin protein with natural antibacterial properties. That in combination with the fiber’s natural moisture-wicking properties make it hard to make Paka clothing smell.
We currently have two of PAKA’s trademark products. The Hoodie and the Original Crew. Both of these products are considered unisex and come in sizes XXS – XXL.
➡️ Read: Ultimate 2 Week Colombia Itinerary 🇨🇴
PAKA Apparel Review
We first came across Paka on an Instagram ad and were blown away by the marketing. But could the clothing really be that great? Here are our honest thoughts on the products.
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The Hoodie
Materials: 65% Alpaca Wool, 35% Recyled Nylon
SAM: This is honestly the softest, most comfortable piece of clothing I own. It’s lightweight and warm. Super soft. Feels like a Homemade Sweater. As we said above, each piece of clothing made by Paka is signed by the maker – mine was knit by Mercedes!
I’m 6 foot 2, 185 lbs and I got a Large and it fits great. A medium would be too small. I also got the Light Grey Color (there are four color choices for The Hoodie)
The Original Crew
Materials: 65% Alpaca Wool, 35% Recycled Nylon
KELSEY: Ever since I got this crew, it is now the most worn piece of clothing I have in my closet! Like Sam, I really love the softness of the material and the baby blue color is so cute. I’ve worn it when theres been a breeze outside but also in the sun sitting at the beach and I love how it is versatile through warmer and cooler climates. My sweater was made by Vanessa P.
I’m 5 foot 2, 110 lbs and I got a size XS. It fits pretty loosely on me, which is what I prefer but I think I could’ve gone even smaller to the XXS to get a more fitted look. I have the Sky Blue Color (there are also four color choices for The Original Crew)
Summary – PAKA Apparel Review
Overall, PAKA is an absolutely wonderful company. Not only are the clothes super soft and comfortable, but the whole process of weaving and making the clothes can be tracked right back to Peru – helping local communities! Each piece is very well made and we anticipate these sweaters holding up for a long time! We highly recommend their clothes. They’re stylish and comfortable and support a good cause.
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👕 Are you a natural clothing fan like us? If you’re looking for some good Merino Wool for travel – we highly recommend you checkout Unbound Merino. Checkout our detailed review of Unbound’s clothing. Superfine Merino that’s comfortable and doesn’t smell! 🐑
Also, Checkout our Best Countries to Visit in 2024 post to plan your next trip! Thanks for reading. 🌎
How do you like your PAKA? 🦙 🖤
