Camel hair—often called camel wool—is a specialty animal fiber prized for its warmth, drape, and quiet luxury. Most premium camel hair comes from the Bactrian camel (the two-humped species) of Central and East Asia. These camels grow a dual coat: long, coarse guard hairs that protect the animal from weather, and a much finer, softer undercoat (the “down”) that spinners and weavers value for apparel. The down is typically a natural golden-tan, though it dyes readily much like sheep’s wool. Collection is relatively gentle compared with many other animal fibers. Each spring, Bactrian camels naturally molt, shedding both guard hair and down over a 6–8 week period. Herders gather tufts by hand, comb the animals, or in some cases shear; afterwards, the fiber is washed and “dehaired” to remove the coarse outer fibers so only the soft down remains for fine yarns. Typical annual yield per animal is a few kilograms of hair, of which only a fraction is the prized down, contributing to its relati...
The Hidden Treasure of the Arctic When the icy winds of the Arctic sweep across the frozen tundra, few creatures survive in such extremes. Among these survivors is the musk ox, a majestic animal with shaggy hair and strong resilience. Beneath its coarse outer coat lies a secret – an inner layer of downy softness known as Qiviut. This rare wool has been called one of the world’s most luxurious natural fibers, treasured for its warmth, lightness, and scarcity. Unlike ordinary wools, Qiviut carries with it the silence of snow, the endurance of northern landscapes, and the dignity of an ancient animal A Fiber Born from Survival Qiviut exists because the musk ox needs protection in one of the harshest climates on Earth. The down layer forms naturally under the outer guard hairs to insulate the animal against temperatures that fall below –50°C. Each spring, as the musk ox sheds this inner fleece, local communities carefully gather it by hand or comb it from the shedding animals. Unlike sheep...