The story of angora fibre

As Easter hops towards us I want to write about something seasonal and yet related to what we are all about here at Wild Wool.

I started thinking of chocolate bunnies, then rabbits and very quickly it lead me to this video I saw about angora. I have wanted to write about this since I saw a video from PETA last year that sparked a huge change in the way I saw angora and decided I would never sell it on the website. If I do buy angora now its always second hand as buying new would be contributing to the cruelty.

I just want to make it known that angora isn’t actually wool as it’s sometimes called, it is fur from a rabbit. Also noting at this point that mohair comes from the angora goat not to be confused with angora fibre that comes from a very fluffy rabbit.

Angora is the most magical of fibres/wools and is known for its halo, so I shall name it the angel of fibres. It is said to be 6 times warmer than wool, WOW. This is due to the hollow core of the angora fibre and I can certainly vouch for its warmth. It is known for its silky texture and the hollow fibres give it a characteristic “floating feeling” hence the halo analogy. Angora wool does not have the allergenic properties inherent to other types of wool, making this fiber an essential alternative for people with animal hair allergies. Lastly its just so lovely to wear, the soft silky fibres are so snuggly and it really does keep you super warm.

Although angora, as a fibre, is incredible the way it is harvested is not. In order for us to make informed choices about what we buy I feel it is important to talk about it. I have included a link below, for more information, that many people will find disturbing and also a warning that some people may find what is said next hard to hear.

I first saw a video of angora rabbits being ‘plucked’ and was shocked to hear their squeals and to see how raw they are left after the plucking. These gorgeous fluffy rabbits are kept in small cages plucked every three months and often can hardly move after a plucking as they are so shocked from the process. 90 % of angora comes from China where there are no laws around animal cruelty. Some retailers were so shocked that they stopped selling angora products -Primark, H&M and Top Shop were on the list. It also flags up how a lot of large retailers don’t always do their research about what they sell until it is flagged up by others.

I am asking you to consider what you are supporting with your purchasing power and to look at the story behind the products you are buying.

We are soon so start a fully traceable section on the website so you can buy products where the production can be traced from the pasture to the final product. At Wild Wool we are also taking time to find out from all out suppliers where they get their wool from and if it mulesing free (there is no removal of strips of wool/skin from a sheep’s hind that can cause extreme pain to them). We are asking the questions so you don’t have to when buying from us. The same cannot be said for other suppliers so please do your research and buy responsibly.

Lastly we are starting a ‘Friends ‘ section on the website where we will be sharing with you an inspirational list of suppliers we feel are doing there bit for the environment or are taking great care in how they produce the items they sell- For example sheepskins from sheep that have had a long and good life & hand woven rugs (a real rarity we feel)

Thank you for reading this, it was important to me to write about because as I have said we care and that’s what we are about. Making ethical choices no matter the time of year or occasion.

Do enjoy your Easter, and stay cosy!

Link- https://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-clothing/angora-industry/