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...
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...