What Do Alpaca, Mohair and Angora Add to a Wool Blend Throw?

By Snoozyn · Updated October 2026

Throws with alpaca, mohair or angora on the label often have those fibres in the product name. It is worth turning the label over, because the speciality fibre is almost always a small share of the cloth, with wool and a synthetic making up the rest.

That is not a trick. A small amount of a speciality fibre changes the look and handle of a throw in useful ways. Here is what each one contributes, and what the other fibres in the blend are there for.

What does a wool blend throw actually contain?

A wool blend throw is mostly wool, typically 50–60%, with 30–40% acrylic or polyester and, in the four throws below, 7–10% of a speciality fibre such as alpaca, mohair or angora.

We only name a fibre as the headline when it makes up at least half the cloth, which is why these are all called wool blends. The table shows exactly what is in each one.

Throw	Wool	Speciality fibre	Other	Size
Alpaca wool blend	57%	7% alpaca	36% polyester	145×170 cm
Fawn alpaca knit	50%	10% alpaca	40% acrylic	145×200 cm
Angora wool blend	55%	10% angora	35% acrylic	145×165 cm
Wool mohair check	50%	10% mohair	30% polyester, 10% cotton	150×200 cm

What does alpaca add to a wool blend?

Alpaca adds drape, a gentle sheen and a soft heathered look. Its fibre is smoother and less crimped than sheep’s wool, so even a small share makes a throw fall more softly.

Alpaca is a camelid, related to the llama, and its fleece is shorn much like a sheep’s. Many alpaca fibres have a partly hollow core, which makes them light for their bulk. In a brushed throw, alpaca also takes colour in a slightly mottled way that gives that heathered, two-tone depth. Our fawn knitted throw with 10% alpaca shows how it softens the look of a knitted throw.

What does mohair add to a wool blend?

Mohair adds lustre and a brushed halo. It is a long, smooth, strong fibre from the Angora goat, and when brushed it lifts into a soft fuzz that catches the light.

Mohair takes dye very clearly, which is why it often appears in bold checks: the colours stay crisp under the halo. In our monochrome check throw, 10% mohair gives the black and white squares a soft-focus surface, while 50% wool provides the body.

What does angora add to a wool blend?

Angora adds a fine, fluffy surface and a very soft handle. It comes from the Angora rabbit, and its fibres are among the finest and lightest of any animal fibre.

Angora is too fine and slippery to make a throw on its own, so it is almost always blended. In our angora wool blend, 10% angora in a fine herringbone gives the moss grey cloth a gentle bloom. Fluffy fibres like angora shed a few loose strands at first, which settles with use; our guide to why a throw sheds or pills explains what is normal.

How much speciality fibre makes a difference?

Even 7–10% makes a visible difference to the surface and drape of a throw, but it does not turn a wool blend into an alpaca, mohair or angora throw.

The speciality fibre tends to sit on the surface, especially once a cloth is brushed, so it shapes what you see and feel first. Warmth and weight come mainly from the wool and from the thickness of the weave or knit. The acrylic or polyester has its own job: it keeps the throw lighter, helps it hold its shape and keeps the price down. If you want to compare the wool grades themselves, see our guide to lambswool, merino and standard wool. Rugs use the same logic, with wool for resilience and polyester for cost; our wool and synthetic rug comparison covers it.

How do you care for an alpaca, mohair or angora blend throw?

Care for them exactly as you would a wool throw: air often, spot clean, and otherwise hand wash in cool water with a wool detergent or dry clean, then dry flat with no tumble dryer and no bleach.

Brushed surfaces flatten if they are rubbed while wet, so press water through the cloth rather than scrubbing, and shake the throw gently once dry to lift the halo again. Our step-by-step method for washing wool by hand without shrinking it applies to every blend here, and the full Snoozyn care guide covers the rest of our range.

Frequently asked questions

Is mohair from a goat or a rabbit?

Mohair comes from the Angora goat. The name causes confusion because angora fibre comes from a different animal, the Angora rabbit. Mohair is long, smooth and lustrous; angora is very fine and fluffy.

Is alpaca warmer than sheep’s wool?

In a throw that is 7–10% alpaca, you will not notice a difference in warmth. How warm a wool blend throw feels depends far more on its wool content, weight and weave than on a small share of alpaca.

Do mohair and angora blend throws shed?

A little, at first. Brushed and fluffy surfaces release some loose fibres in the first weeks of use. Shake the throw outdoors now and then and the shedding settles down as the loose ends work free.

Why is there acrylic or polyester in a wool blend?

Synthetic fibres make a throw lighter, help it keep its shape and lower its price. In a blend that is still mostly wool, they also make the cloth a little more forgiving of everyday wear.

Can you machine wash an alpaca or mohair blend throw?

No. These blends are mostly wool, so they need wool care: hand wash in cool water with a wool detergent or dry clean, press out the water rather than wringing, and dry the throw flat.

Is an alpaca blend throw the same as an alpaca throw?

No. An alpaca throw would be mostly alpaca fibre. Our alpaca blends are 50–57% wool with 7–10% alpaca, so wool is the main fibre and alpaca adds drape and a heathered look.