If you've been paying attention then you've noticed that knitting has become a very popular trend in the past few years. This has set off an increase of online and physical yarn stores that are rapidly appearing everywhere, in fact, novelty and traditional yarns are also becoming readily available in a variety of textures, thickness and colors.

One type of traditional yarn that has recently become quite popular is angora yarn. Angora wool is obtained from angora rabbits, not to be confused with mohair which is obtained from Angora goats.

A Bit of Information about Angora Wool

Angora yarn has a low micron count which is the measurement used to express the diameter of a wool fiber. The lower the micron count the finer the wool.

As a comparison, merino wool can range from 10-25 microns while mohair ranges from 25-45 microns. On the other hand, angora wool maintains a micron count of 12-16 microns.

Angora wool is also valued for its halo or fluffiness. Therefore, it is the fluffy angora yarn that gives garments its light, downy appearance. In fact, angora wool is also one of the warmest types of yarn.

The warmth is the result of hollow strands of hair. This characteristic gives angora wool insulating properties that make it seven times warmer than sheep's wool.

Some people may find the halo bothersome or inconvenient, especially if they have allergies, however, angora can be spun together with other wools to help decrease its softness and price.

In fact, it is probably easier to find angora knitwear that also contains some percentage of other wools, even acrylic fibers. This also goes for angora sweaters, however, you can also find smaller accessories such as mittens, scarves and caps made with 100% angora wool.

Fortunately, 100% angora yarn can still be purchased if you are interested in making your own garments. Because this fiber is natural, you can dye it yourself or simply look for dyed wool.

About Angora Rabbits

Similar to sheep's wool, the angora wool is removed directly from the rabbit by one of two processes. The rabbit will be either sheared or combed to remove the wool. Combing is often preferred over shearing because it doesn't lead to a cut strand of lesser quality.

Because rabbits are such small creatures, several people have taking the initiative to raise their own animals and spin their own yarn. However, this does require a certain level of investment, both in time and money.

ANGORA YARN offers 100% angora fiber that has been hand dyed and turned into a beautiful handspun yarn. The angora rabbits that produce this soft wool are well taken care of and are periodically combed to harvest their hair. This attention to detail is the reason ANGORA YARN can offer such a plush and unique brand of angora wool.