From alpaca to apparel ­- the warmth and luxury of animal fibre is weaved into every stitch of the luxury, sustainable accessories range created by Brockenhurst's Claire Turner and her beloved herd

Jenny and Nina are not the most talkative of interviewees. And neither are Noodle and Bing Bong. But they are very inquisitive, with beautiful faces – and an abundance of super soft fleece.

The alpacas I meet in the fields behind Claire Turner's Brockenhurst home are just some of the 25-strong Grey Market Alpacas herd she has created over the last few years.

Herd Alpaca Apparel, based at the Brockenhurst home of Claire Turner. Herd Alpaca Apparel, based at the Brockenhurst home of Claire Turner. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) The Turners moved to the New Forest from London in 2018 and embarked on an extensive, 18-month refurbishment of both the house and the accompanying fields which were, according to Claire, an 'absolute mess' due to resident deer crashing through fences, and the site's bad drainage.

When they moved into the property in May 2020, Claire began looking for a suitable use of the land. Her research into alpacas found them to be the perfect inhabitants.

'We did all that and thought "now we have to put something on it",' she says. 'We had already started talking about what we were going to do. I started looking around at alpacas, researching it all. The seed was already sewn. Alpacas regenerate the land and they don't push against fences. They've got a very light footprint as well.

Model Claire Turner used her fashion knowledge to create a range of garments for her Herd Alpaca Apparel range. Model Claire Turner used her fashion knowledge to create a range of garments for her Herd Alpaca Apparel range. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) 'I've always loved animals so it was always going to be animals here.'

But when it was time for the animals to be shorn, the drive to be entirely sustainable sparked a business idea for fashion savvy Claire, who has modelled for 30 years,

Having started her herd with nine of the fine, 'puffy' fleeced Huacaya breed of alpaca, the gang quickly grew when Claire fell in love with the heavier coats of the Suri species while doing online courses and research into the animals during lockdown.

'When we did the shearing and all the fleece came off, I was absolutely amazed, I couldn't believe how much there was,' she says, adding that she had just sent off some 100 kilograms of fleece to be turned into yarn (a combination from her own animals and fleeces from the farms of friends in the local area).

Claire Turner modeling some of the items in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range. Claire Turner modeling some of the items in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) 'People don't tend to do things with the fleece. There's a market in Europe – they buy it in for dolls' hair. There are people out there that do alpaca clothing, but it's not a very big deal. Some people buy in from South America and it comes all dyed and there's a carbon footprint.

'I thought "I have to do something with it".'

While the fleece is compostable, so would help regenerate the land if buried, Claire was adamant it shouldn't be thrown away, and set about coming up with some fine knit designs for wraps, cardigans, jumpers, hats and scarves, launching her first Herd Alpaca Apparel collection in November last year.

Herd Alpaca Apparel fleeces are not dyed, as founder Claire Turner prefers to use the animals' natural colourings. Herd Alpaca Apparel fleeces are not dyed, as founder Claire Turner prefers to use the animals' natural colourings. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) 'I've modelled since 18, always had a fashion background,' she explains. 'So just started thinking "what can I do with the animals, bring some fashion into it?" I do fine knits, drape-y clothing – inspired by the way the Suris move. That's what I always had in my head.

'I do the design, design everything for one size. Having a background in modelling, I know how clothes should fit and hang. I want it to flatter all body shapes.'

Keen to keep everything as natural as possible, Claire doesn't dye the fleeces, preferring to create garments in the animals' own colours, sometimes mixing the fleeces to produce new shades.

Cut-out of garments in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range, created from fleeces of a herd of alpacas in Brockenhurst. Image: Cut-out of garments in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range, created from fleeces of a herd of alpacas in Brockenhurst. Image: (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) 'I never dye anything because I don't see the point – these colours are absolutely gorgeous,' she says. 'The mill will mix things together and see what colours we can get. We are looking at doing different colour ways. There's 22 official colours, but they have different markings, the colour changes with age etc.

'The younger fleece is much finer. We've got one, Nina, that's 19. We didn't shear her this year – as they get older it gets much coarser. She will just live out her days here.'

However even some of the coarser fleeces are put good use, making rugs and throws, in keeping with Claire's sustainable ethos.

Claire Turner has created a range of luxury accessories with her Herd Alpaca Apparel brand. Claire Turner has created a range of luxury accessories with her Herd Alpaca Apparel brand. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) 'I want to keep it limited edition,' she adds. 'It's micro production, so I don't make more than 20 of each item. That can't be recreated because the following year we will have different colour ways.

'Because it's micro production, lots of the mills don't want to do it, they want to be making 500.'

The fleeces return from the mill – which was initially based in Wimborne, just across the border in Dorset, but has now relocated to Northern Ireland – as a fine yarn. Claire will then take a selection of designs to the manufacturer in Leicester, where they are transferred via a computer programme to a machine that produces the garments.

Then the clothing is worn, washed and steamed to test its durability before it can be sold.

Cut-out of garments in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range, created from fleeces of a herd of alpacas in Brockenhurst. Cut-out of garments in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range, created from fleeces of a herd of alpacas in Brockenhurst. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) 'Alpaca yarn is quite temperamental, so certain finishes just will not work,' says Claire. 'We did loads of swatches with different stitches, so now I've got a good idea of what works and what doesn't work.

'Sometimes it works straight away, which is fantastic. I'm hoping now to get some different variations on a theme. I don't want to start using Lycra, I want it to be completely natural so that does present challenges. Everything has got to be fine knit. It's exciting. I'm excited to see what clothes we are going to get.

'It's all odour resistant as well, because it's all natural. The hats are frizz free Everything is light and it's temperature regulating.'

Cut-out of garments in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range, created from fleeces of a herd of alpacas in Brockenhurst. Cut-out of garments in the Herd Alpaca Apparel range, created from fleeces of a herd of alpacas in Brockenhurst. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) The next step is to get the Herd Alpaca Apparel name out there. The website is up and running, and a recent pop-up shop in Lymington was met with a good response.

'Its very early days,' says Claire, who has undertaken business and marketing courses at nearby Brockenhurst College to broaden her knowledge.

'I'm going to do some makers' markets with the hats and scarves in the run up to Christmas. I'm a member of the New Forest Marque as well so they've got some shows coming up. I'm getting some local support as well. People walk past and they see the animals, so they can join the dots.'

With the help of full-time alpaca handler Peter, Claire has also set up a separate breeding programme with the animals.

There are 25 alpacas in the Herd Alpaca Apparel crew. Pictured with founder Claire Turner. There are 25 alpacas in the Herd Alpaca Apparel crew. Pictured with founder Claire Turner. (Image: Herd Alpaca Apparel) When it comes to sharing the story further afield, Claire packages each garment with a care guide and also information about the herd, including photos and details on exactly which animal the fleece came from, and is keen that the company's sustainability is widely known.

'People have been buying into the story,' she smiles. 'Nothing goes to waste, even their poo gets used as compost – it all breaks down and regenerates the land. Everything is just really circular.

'It's really trying to explain this is a whole process, it's not just a jumper.

'My passion is the fact that it's from alpaca to apparel, because it's literally that journey.'

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