Angora, which comes from the Angora rabbit, is a very luxurious, fluffy fiber that has a halo to it, similar to that of mohair or Suri alpaca. Angora is one of the finest luxury fibers, and it's popular with knitters and spinners. Angora fiber is as soft as alpaca and cashmere and is sometimes blended with other fibers to give the material a pretty halo and added softness.
Angora rabbits
The Angora rabbit is a medium-sized rabbit. It’s a docile breed of rabbit that makes for a wonderful pet. Their fur grows faster than other rabbit breeds, so to keep their beautiful long fur silky and smooth, regular grooming is important.
The Angora rabbit is thought to be one of the oldest living species of domesticated rabbits. In the 1700s, French royalty raised them as pets, which started a trend among European aristocracy to keep them as pets. It wasn’t until the 20th century that Angora yarn production took off.
Angora fiber
Angora fiber is soft and silky. It's finer than cashmere, and people who are usually sensitive to wool can wear Angora with no allergic reaction. It absorbs dye wonderfully and is lightweight and warm. It is, however, an expensive fiber due to how long it takes to manufacture.
Angora yarn is produced during molting season, which happens 3 to 4 times a year. It's collected by either plucking or shearing the rabbits, but plucking is the preferred method. An average adult Angora rabbit produces around 1.5kg of wool a year. If you'd like to try making something out of Angora yarn, the Spur Hat, by Hiromi Nagasaki, is the perfect small project to test out this luxurious fiber!
Choosing a cruelty-free angora yarn
As an animal lover, it's very important to me that I choose fibers from animals that have been ethically treated. So, when looking for Angora yarn, or any other wool for that matter, make sure you choose a brand or company that doesn’t support animal cruelty. No yarn, no matter how luxurious or soft, is worth the mistreatment of animals.
Rabbits molt naturally and need to have their hair gently removed—gentle being the keyword. China is the largest producer of Angora wool, and unfortunately, they have no regulatory standards for Angora yarn production, nor do they have any penalties for animal cruelty. So remember to choose a brand that raises their bunnies in a safe and cruelty-free environment.
If you live in Brazil, we suggest checking out Novelaria's amazing artisanal Angora yarn by Milana Hilados.
And if you're interested fibers, why now learn about yak yarn?
