Camel Hair Fabric

The following article looks at camel hair fabric and the eco credentials of this 100% natural animal hair.

Description

100% natural camel hair used to weave textiles.
Can be referred to as camel wool or camel hair.
A textile similar in characteristics to wool and cashmere.
It is collected as the animals shed their winter coats in late spring.
The youngest camels shed the softest hair and this is sought after as the most luxurious.
The hair harvested for weaving is the soft undercoat.
The upper layer of hair is known as guard hair.
The hair is harvested by hand as it naturally molts from the camel, which explains the expense.
The hair is thicker or coarser depending on whether the camel has one or two humps!
Generally two hump camels have much softer hairs.
It can be left untreated and undyed, so that it is in it’s natural form.
The natural colour is a rich golden tan.
Fibres can be dyed darker shades, ensure the dyes used do not contain chemical substances.
Fibres can be spun into thin or thick yarns for light and heavy weighted textiles – versatile application.
Camel hair contains between 4 and 5 % of vegetable matter, and suits a blend.
Found in blends with wool, silk, polyester and nylon.
Check the fibre content to avoid synthetic blends - polyester and nylon.

Softer inner hair can be used for duvet filling, felt, blankets and clothing (felted, woven).
Some blends are used for soft furnishings.
Outer coarser hair (guard hair) can be used for tents, coats, insulation, carpet backing and carpets.

A lightweight and soft textile.
Camel hair fabric takes colouring well, similar dying characteristics to wool.
Light weight.
As a textile or filling material camel hair is not bulky.
An effective body heat regulator – keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
This textile and filling material allow circulation of air.
Excellent insulation properties, 1.5 times the warmth of 100% natural woollen textiles.
Adaptable humidity characteristics with changes in air moisture content.
Camelhair becomes softer over time as the item is washed again and again.
Doesn’t sag as much as other lightweight and soft textiles.

Light textiles do not take mechanical cleaning very well, use only mild soap products.

Significant supplier countries are: China, Mongolia, Iran, Afghanistan, Russia, New Zealand, Tibet and Australia.

The majority of camel hair is manufactured in China and exported globally, this creates high levels of embodied energy from transportation and distribution.
If no chemicals treatments or dyes are used, the process from harvest to weaving does not use a lot of energy.

Camel harvesting methods are humane as the molted hair is collected either by combing or once fallen from the animal.
Camel hair processing & manufacture is not a well documented area.
Some processing methods use mechanical methods to separate the inner and outer layers of hair.
If no chemicals treatments or dyes are used this product remains 100% natural and retains all of its eco characteristics.
Not known to cause allergic reaction when used in its natural form.