Animal Fibres
Imagine a clean world without pollution. Craft and hand machine processes that focus on the use of natural fibres such as animal hair and organic cotton that use finishing processes that do not release large quantities of toxic waste into our water supply will help clean up the devastation and mess we have made.
Wool is the name given to fibre that comes from sheep, however, other animal hair fibres such as alpaca, lama, goats and rabbits can also be referred to as wool. Alpaca is a lightweight yarn that is very soft and fine. Most alpaca is white but also comes in shades of brown. Natural fibres such as these are often blended together with other natural or man-made fibres.
In the Himalayas development projects assist rural mountain communities to cope with climate change and to increase the income pf people involved in the production and processing of cashmere. Internationally Pashmina is known as cashmere. One of the finest cashmere goats is Changthangi that is raised and taken care of by the ChangPas, nomadic people living in the Himalayas. The cashmere goat has a fine under down fleece which is shed every year. One goat yields approximately 150 to 500 grammes of fleece.
There are over 60 British sheep breeds more than in any other country. Each breed has its own characteristic depending on it’s natural habitat, the mountains the hills or lower land. The Black Welsh and the Jacobs sheep are naturally coloured, others such as the Wenslydale, have fleece that is long and tightly crimped, where as others have finer lustrous and softer fleece, Different sheep’s fleece come in various grades. The coarser fleece is more durable and is often used for carpets and heavy duty textiles, whereas finer lustrous grades can be used for knitwear.
✁ Back To Top
