Camel hair

A camel hair blazer from the American fashion label Bill Blass, 2009.

Camel hair is a type of cloth made from pure camel hair or a blend of camel hair and another fiber. The outer protective fur (guard hair) is coarse and inflexible and can be woven into haircloth. Guard hair can be made soft and plush by blending it, especially with wool. The camel's pure undercoat is very soft, gathered when camels molt, and is frequently used for coats.

Camel hair is collected from the Bactrian camel, which is found across Asia from eastern Turkey and China to Siberia.[1] Significant supplier countries of camel hair include Mongolia, Tibet, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, China, New Zealand and Australia.[2]

Gathering and production

Bactrian camel shedding its hair. Givskud Zoo, Denmark

Each camel can produce around five pounds (2.25 kg) of hair a year. Hair may be collected by shearing, combing or by collecting fiber shed naturally during the six to eight-week molting season in late spring.[1] Fallen hair is normally gathered by hand.[2]

After collection, coarse and fine hairs are separated. Fibres are then washed to remove any dirt or debris and then spun into yarn suitable for weaving or knitting.[1]

Use

The wearing of camel hair clothing is mentioned in the Bible (Matthew 3:4) and it was traditionally used for tents, carpets and cloaks by the Berbers and in other areas where camels were kept. Its high thermostatic properties provide insulation.[2]

Pure camel hair is recorded as being used for western garments from the 17th century onwards, and from the 19th century a mixture of wool and camel hair was used.[3] The first fashion brand to popularise camel hair in clothing was Jaeger, a British manufacturer that specialised in the use of fine woollen fabrics for coats and suits.[4] It became popular in the U.S. in the 1920s and 1930s, having been introduced through the sport of polo, where a casual camel hair coat was worn by players in between matches.[5]

Camel hair may be blended to create fabrics suitable for coats, sweaters outer and underwear. The long coarser hair may be used as a backing for carpets.[1]

Although most camel hair is left as its natural tone of golden tan, the hair can be dyed and accepts dye in the same way as wool fibres.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Camel Hair". Global Natural Fibre Forum. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Fact sheet. "Cashmere and Camel Hair Fact Sheet". Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Cumming, Cunnington, Cunnington, Valerie, CW and PE (2010). The Dictionary of Fashion History. Oxford: Bloomsbury.
  4. ↑ Grant, Linda (23 January 2009). "Jaeger celebrates 125 years in the business". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  5. ↑ Boston AP (January 29, 1987). "Camel hair polo coat is aristocrat of classics". Fort Scott Tribune. Retrieved 16 April 2014.

See also

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