To ask any vegans?

[WhyCantIuseTheNameIWant]

Would you wear a hand-made hat, from alpaca wool?

I know the lady who owns the alpacas. They are almost pets! Very pamperered...
Hand groomed daily by her, to get the wool. Hand dyed and hand spun.

A vegan friend has crafted some gorgeous earrings for me.
I want to knit him a hat in return. He loves hats.

Would I insult him by asking if he would wear alpaca wool?

There is no skin involved. It is literally 'alpaca haircut!'

Would this generally be acceptable to vegans?

Or would a cheap acrylic yarn be better?

I don't want to upset him, or ruin the surprise.

My vegan friend is making herself a blanket from Alpaca wool so I would think that it should be ok!

I know vegans that would be ok with this and vegans that wouldn't.

Not totally straightforward because wool is usually off limits for the reason that it is a slaughterhouse floor product. In this circumstance, whilst that is obviously not the case, it is still from animals being kept for their coat i.e financial gain, no matter how well looked after they r. I am not vegan now, am strict veggie, don't wear wool, leather, etc tho n no, I couldn't bring myself to wear the hat despite the lively n well thought out idea. Not much help, sorry!

Sigh. *lovely. I do despise predictive text!

Ian a vegan and in this circumstance I would use the wool. Some wouldn't though

I think you need to ask him.

I'd drop it out in conversation about your friend and her pets and ask his view on their wool in a round about way, then go from there.

Too risky. Vegans don't wear animal products as a rule.

I had a feeling it would be a "personal preference" thing.
I guess I will ask him. Thanks all.

Not just because it's a slaughterhouse bi-product, but also because of cruel farming practices such as 'mulesing', and the fact that animals shouldn't be farmed (animal welfare and environmental concerns).

IME most vegans wouldn't want to wear wool even if in that case it was from very happy personally known animals. Others would feel that was fine as it evades the issues which most concern them about animal exploitation.

Overall I'd stick to acrylic yarn - or what about bamboo? (Uses a lot of water to grow, but lovely and soft/good drape).

I'm a vegan and don't wear wool - I didn't think any vegans did. But as it appears that some do, it's best to ask your friend. I'm sure your friend would appreciate the thought, whether or not he would wear the hat.

Looks like I will have to go to the big wool shop next week to investigate bamboo... Never tried it before!
I have asked him about alpaca. No answe yet...