Angora wool is an extraordinarily soft fiber produced from the fur of the

Angora rabbit. Angora fibers are hollow, which gives them loft and a characteristic `floating' feel. They're exceptionally soft
and possess the highest heat retention (two-and-a-half times warmer than sheep's wool), and best moisture-wicking
properties of any natural fiber.

Pure angora fibers are rarely woven into fabric because the fibers are so fine and fragile. Rather, they are blended with
other wools to increase warmth and enhance softness. Angora wool can be worn outside in very cold conditions and then
immediately worn inside without overheating.

Because Angora involves a laborious harvesting process and a small number of producers, most angora wool products are
expensive. Angora is used in luxury undergarments, underwear, thermal base layers, sweaters, scarves, and sportswear.

Characteristics of Angora Wool Fabric

• Extremely soft, lofty, lustrous, and lightweight.

• Durable
• Best heat retention of all natural wool.
• Non-odor absorbing.

Angora: Angora, the hair of Angora rabbits, is one of the five keratinic textile fibres of animal origin of significant economic
value. Wool from sheep is of course by far the main fibre, at over 1.3 million tonnes per year (thoroughly washed). The four
others: mohair, angora, cashmere and alpaca, each at outputs of 5 000 to 30 000 tonnes, exhibit original qualities of
fineness, lustre and feel for the production of high value added luxury items. Angora is often considered one of the "noble"
fibres.

Angora: Characteristics

Textile properties: In the matter of textiles, "angora" without any other qualification refers solely to the hair produced by
Angora rabbits.

Length. Angora hair is unusually long owing to the prolongation of the active phase of the hair follicle cycle: the hair grows
for approximately 14 weeks, whereas that of the rabbit with ordinary (short) hair grows at the same rate but for only five
weeks. This is due to the presence of a recessive gene in Angora rabbits.

Apart from this great length, there is no other modification either in the hair's structure or in the composition of the coat,
which contains the three classic types of rabbit hair.

 guide hairs: the longest (10 to 11 cm) and the roughest; they cover and guide the coat;
 guard hairs ("barbes"): shorter than guide hairs (8 cm); their rough points lie on the coat and hermetically seal it
(covering hair); four to each guide hair;
 down: shortest hair (6 cm); rounded point, hardly visible, very fine body (14 ). Very numerous, 60 to a guide hair,
they constitute the thermic isolation undercoat. The length of angora hair accounts for its textile value, because it
permits cohesion in the thread.

Friction coefficient. The rabbit's hair has a characteristically low friction coefficient owing to the very slight relief of the
cuticle scales. This results in a particular softness to the touch, but also an exceptional capacity for slipping. This is why the
length of angora is important; the hair is twisted and stays in the thread. The use of ordinary rabbit hair to replace angora
produces threads of bad quality which spread everywhere: this is a fraudulent process which reflects badly on the Angora
industry.

Because of its softness angora hair is used for the manufacture of insulating underclothes (keratin). Ten percent angora in a
mixture of wool, cotton and synthetic fibres makes an extremely soft fabric, very easy on the skin.
The kemp points and the covering hairs, which are more rigid, rise from the fabric, giving it a fluffy appearance which is
much prized. Whole angora hairs obtained by depilation are the most suited for this purpose.

Other characteristics of angora hair

Although the Angora rabbit exists in all colours, only the albino strain is produced now. Its coat is entirely white, which is an
advantage for dyeing. Coloured Angora rabbits are raised in India for the manufacture (by breeders themselves) of undyed
artisanal fabric with muted colour motifs. The hairs are all medulated (hollow), which makes them lighter than wool (density
1.1 against 1.3) and increases their insulating properties. They have all the properties of keratin, notably insulation, water
absorption and good dyeing quality.

The Angora rabbit's coat is 98.5 percent pure as cutaneous secretions (restricted to those of the sebaceous glands) are
very slight and the animal grooms itself frequently (a sheep's fleece is only 50 percent pure because of the presence of
suint). Angora wool goes straight to the card without previous washing: it is imperative that the producer keep constant
control over the cleanliness of the animals.

Because of its fineness, softness, lightness and good insulating properties, angora rabbit hair is used on the production of
high quality yarns for hosiery and knitting garments. The parameters by which the quality of an angora rabbit fleece is
determined are: fiber length. The proportions of the different types of fibres, mean fibre diameter, the proportion of
medullated fibres, crimp and the absence of felt.

Finest wool (11-13microns) and the lowest proportion of bristles, however has a low tensile strength and is therefore prone
to shedding and tends to wear out quickly.

Al types of rabbit hairs have a medulla. The tiny air chambers that characterize the angora medulla give the hair its low
specific weight. Homogeneity in fibre dia. Distribution and fibre medullation are very important for uniform dyeing and
finishing of fabrics. This is because of difference in the dye absorption and light reflectance properties of medullated and
unmedullated fibres.

The presence of medulla also influence the mechanical properties of fibres. In general, partially or completely medullated
fibres are harsh and brittle compared to non-medullated ones. Medullation reduces fibre stiffness and strength. This brittle
ness causes medullated fibres to break easily during processing and making the spinning of angora yarn difficult.

There are 2 types of hair, 10 cm long coarse guard hairs of 30-40 microns and shorter fine down hairs around 15 microns
that are 50 times more numerous than the guard hairs.

Mean fibre dia. 11-13 microns

Proportion of modulated fibres: 90-99%

Medulla content: (down: 39.2%, awe:52.2%, bristle:71.9%) Chinese angora