Haya | Baby Alpaca / Silk / Yak

Haya is a luxurious soft blend of 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Mulberry Silk and 10% Yak.

Haya, latest Holst Garn yarn,  is the softest yarn they have produced - perfect for newborns, very sensitive people and anyone who just want to enjoy the softness.

Haya is spanish for beech tree - the perfect name for a yarn Holst Garn have created as a tribute to Spring in Denmark – Helle Holst's absolutely favorite season.

Fiber Content: 70% Baby Alpaca, 20% Mulberry Silk and 10% Yak.
Yarage: 183 meters/200 yards per 50 gram
Weight: Fingering/Sports Weight
Care: Hand washing is recommended.

Knitting gauges:
Approx. 28 stitches = 10 cm/4 inches

* 2 threads at needles 4-4½ mm/US 6-7 (Approx. 20 stitches = 10 cm/4 inches).
* 1 thread Haya together with 1 thread laceweight yarn like Titicaca at needles 4-4½ mm/US 7-8 (Approx 22 stitches = 10 cm/4 inches) 

An alpaca is shorn for the first time when it is 2 years old. This cut along with the finest fibers from older alpacas are used for Baby Alpaca. The name Baby Alpaca is not related to the age of the animals – it is simply an indication of how fine and soft the fibers are.

The alpacas, supplying wool for our Haya yarn, live in Peru. They are shorn once a year during the Spring/Summer season which is from October to early March. Each Alpaca yield approx 2 kgs of wool and 15-20% of this is Baby Alpaca.

Silk is one of the oldest and most exclusive textile fibers.
Mulberry Silk is the finest of the natural silks. Only top grade A1 is used for Haya. Mulberry Silk is a soft fiber which also adds shine to the yarn.

The Yak comes from the yak ox living in the inaccessible regions surrounding the Himalayas. Here the temperature can drop as low as -40 degrees Celsius during the Winter. In order to withstand the biting cold, the yak has developed a fine layer of down fibers, which insulate the animals against the extreme cold. The down fibers are developed during Autumn and Winter – and then shed naturally in the late Spring. The yak is neither combed nor shorn. All the wool comes from the natural drop of fleece which is collected by the local people.

The wool is then dehaired, leaving only the finest of the fibers. The Yak used for Haya is 18.5/19.5 micron.

The yak wool is dark brown. When mixed with Baby Alpaca and Mulberry Silk this will give a greyish base. We have included this colour in our collection under the name Oyster. All other colours are dyed on top of Oyster. We have used solid colours in shades which, in combination with the greyish base, give a balanced melange effect.

Haya is produced in Peru at a large and reputable spinnery. Animal welfare is a high priority and the spinnery have clear guidelines for breeding, shearing and the everyday life for the Alpacas. It is for instance a requirement that the owner of the animals is physically present at the shearing – this is to ensures that the animals are treated with respect.

We have worked with this spinnery for many years, and we know that they will take immediate action if their guidelines are not being followed.

The spinnery is certified according to Oeko-Tex Standard 100 and all dying of the wool is done accordingly.

Excess water and fibers are recycled to the greatest possible extent – which is not only great for the environment but the economy as well. The spinnery also has RAS (Responsible Alpaca Standard) and Fair Trade certificates.