Expensive wool in the world. Vicuña is the owner of the most expensive wool in the world

Cashmere

This name is well-known and probably familiar to many. There is an opinion that you can buy a cashmere item even in mass-market stores, but in fact it is very difficult to find a high-quality and genuine material - there are many fakes on the market, manufacturers use synthetic analogues to create a similar fabric.

Cashmere is so valued because of its rarity and, accordingly, high cost. It is very pleasant and soft to the touch, as it is made from the hair of cashmere goats, which live mainly in India and Mongolia (these countries are the largest suppliers). The high cost is also explained by the rather lengthy process of creation - the collection of material occurs during the molting of goats. One goat per year gives only 150-200 grams of raw fluff, which subsequently turns into all 80-120.

In many other wool-processing countries, they also tried to breed cashmere goats, but the quality of the down differed significantly for the worse, so this idea did not take root. Try to purchase cashmere products only from trusted suppliers. To recognize a fake, pull one hair out of the product and set it on fire. You should not smell the synthetic smell.

Silk - a secret on pain of death

The history of silk creation began several thousand years before our era in China. According to an old legend, it was the wife of the mythical emperor who began to breed caterpillars and weave. Elite silk is considered just the one that is created by silkworms, and for many years no one could find out the secret of making an unusual fabric - the death penalty was due for disclosure. Subsequently, also according to the legends, the secret was nevertheless revealed, and now India, Uzbekistan and some other countries are also suppliers of silk, although the Asian state is still the largest.

The fabric itself is quite fragile, does not tolerate washing on high temperatures. No wonder something beautifully iridescent is compared just with silk - the light on the threads of silkworms is refracted, creating a delicate sheen. The material is often used to create light dresses, underwear, scarves. The fabric is very pleasant to the touch and highly valued for the same reason as cashmere - a long process of creation, as well as a rich history.

Vicuña - "wool of the Gods"

The most expensive wool in the world! Previously, only the rulers of the Incas could afford to wear it. Vicuñas, artiodactyl animals, are protected and untamed, so it is extremely difficult to obtain material. With one vicuña, you can get no more than 0.5 kg of wool per year, and animals live in the Andes and South America, at high altitude. The fabric itself is very thin and light, but at the same time incredibly warm - nature took care of the animals in the mountains. As already mentioned above, vicuñas are strictly protected by the state; a special permit is required to sell their wool; without it, trade is considered illegal. That is why they came up with a special trademark - "VICUÑA - [country of origin]".

Spider silk - 1 million euros per 2 sq. meters

Yes, the number of apartments that can be bought for that kind of money is immediately presented, but for those who have everything, there are no limits. True connoisseurs are ready to spend money on a work of art. What is so special about this silk? This is a web that only female spiders can weave, it has a golden color and originates from spiders from Madagascar.

The difficulty in obtaining spider silk was that it was impossible to keep several spiders together, since they are cannibals, and one spider per day can only weave 25 meters of the thinnest cobweb. Only later did the professors who arrived in Madagascar create a special device, thanks to which tens of thousands of spiders can create silk together, but even so, in a day of continuous work, they can only weave 28 grams of material. This complexity of creation and color explains the amazing high cost of the fabric.

Linen - for those who are for a healthy lifestyle

Almost everyone has heard of flax. Natural and pure linen is created from vegetable raw materials, widely used Russian designers. It turns out the fabric of their fibers of the stems of the fiber flax plant. Initially, it was created from pure linen, but later synthetics were added to improve wear resistance. Accordingly, products made from pure linen will cost more, but will last you less, but they are the most natural.

Atelier "Linen sorceress" (linenkudesnica.ru)

You can buy clothes of Russian brands from linen, for example, in the St. Petersburg store "lenkrasa", in the studio "Linen Magician" - these are stores specializing in products made from linen, natural and with impurities. Also, Russian fashion houses dilute their collections with linen fabrics.

As you may have noticed, all the fabrics listed above are exclusively natural, in no way harmful to health and have high wear resistance (with the exception of linen). So maybe you should consider choosing a hanger with a cheaper item made of fabric that will stretch after several washes and choose a more expensive one that will last more than one season?

A very special pleasure is knitting from luxurious and expensive yarn. Here are the types of the most expensive and luxurious yarn in the world! 10th place. YAK Price for 100 gr. - 800 rubles Yak - a bull from Central Asia, domesticated thousands of years ago. Yak wool is imported primarily from Tibet, where it is hand combed by local farmers. The fibers are short (approx. 2.5 cm), in in kind yak wool is dark brown, but it is also sold dyed. It is pleasant to knit from it, it is very soft and warm.
Since ancient times, yak down has been perceived as a synonym for warmth, care, and softness. Due to its high spinning properties, wool yarn is widely used. Woolen yarn is similar in structure to human hair, so it is very comfortable in contact with the skin.
Of the general properties of wool, it is necessary to note the unique ability to retain heat, leveling the difference between body temperature and air temperature, hygroscopicity, softness and fit. Wool stretches well and is resistant to wrinkling. Woolen yarn retains heat better than vegetable yarn, and also gets wet much more slowly in a humid environment.
9th place. SILK. Price for 100 gr: 920 rubles. Silk is a shimmering material, clothes from which were worn by the rulers of states for thousands of years. Silk yarn is easy to dye and is available in many shades. It is better to knit it on wooden knitting needles, because. on them, this yarn is not very slippery. There are numerous types of silk. The highest quality is twisted silk, the worst quality is buret silk, which is made from the waste of cocoon-winding production. Unfortunately, the yarn manufacturers do not indicate how the silk was produced.
8th place. CAMEL Price for 100 gr. - 1040 rubles. Unfortunately, camel wool yarn for hand knitting is sold very rarely, which is a pity, because it is warm, soft, and knits well. It has a smooth structure and is very elastic, making it especially suitable for knitting patterns.
The wool of camels is not sheared or combed out, the tufts simply fall out in the spring and are then collected. Only a gentle, wavy undercoat is used. Camel hair cannot be dyed.
7th place. ANGORA Price for 100 gr.: 2100 rubles 100% angora knits like a cloud, and it is just as pleasant to wear it. It is incredibly soft, fluffy and light. It is better not to knit intricate angora patterns, they are almost invisible, but they look good facial surface or openwork pattern knitted on thick needles.
Keeping Angora rabbits is labor intensive and also requires great professional knowledge. Even a minor mistake can lead to the loss of productive adult animals. To restore losses and compensate for losses, it is required to raise animals of more than one year of age. Down collection is a very delicate and specific operation, and careless sorting irrevocably reduces the quality of the down.
First of all, not all climatic conditions are suitable for the production of angora wool: excessively high temperatures and intense lighting are very bad elements. In cold countries, or countries with cold winters, the best solution is to use buildings that protect animals from harsh winters.
However, animals immediately after the collection of down require special care. The nutritional requirements of Angora rabbits are important: a poor, unbalanced diet will always mean qualitatively and quantitatively poor down production.
6th place. ALPACA SURI (Gold of the Incas) Price for 100 gr: 2240 rubles. Alpaca belongs to the camelid family and lives in the South American Andes. There are two types: huakayo alpaca and suri alpaca, from suri get more delicate and expensive yarn. Alpaca wool, thanks to its special structure, adjusts to body temperature. Baby alpaca yarn is especially gentle and soft. But for people with very sensitive skin, this yarn is not very suitable because of the thin protruding hairs.
Increasingly, these animals are bred in Europe. because they have not only excellent fur, but also a good-natured temperament, and therefore, like dolphins, they even serve therapeutic purposes.
5th place. CASHMERE Price for 100 gr: 2400 rub. Cashmere is perhaps the most famous luxury yarn. There are about 20 breeds of goats originating from Central Asia, which are united by the concept of "Cashmir goat". Today they are bred all over the world, but the most good quality still comes from the highlands.
Cashmere goats have a particularly long and fine undercoat, with hairs only one-third the diameter of a fine human hair. The wool is combed or plucked by hand, and in some countries cashmere goats are also shaved to make production cheaper. The main producer of cashmere is China. Cashmere knitting is a real pleasure. It is smooth but non-slip, elastic and perfect for braided and embossed patterns. A good cashmere yarn hardly forms spools. A special luxury for the feet - socks made of yarn, which includes cashmere. Today, cashmere is back at its peak. He is elected by the first persons of the state and Hollywood stars, world famous designers and show business icons. Italian President Berlusconi loves to flaunt cashmere from Brunello Cucinelli. Peter Brosnan, the famous agent 007, on the contrary, prefers Ballantyne cashmere jumpers. And Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Angelina Jolie collect pashminas of different brands, give them affectionate nicknames and wear them not only to parties, but also to high awards. Is it worth knitting from cashmere? After all, he is insanely expensive! For those who are still worried about this question, I will answer: “Don't! Cashmere is dangerous. It causes an "addictive effect". Once you try it, you may lose interest in another yarn forever!”
4th place. BISON Price for 100 gr: 5600 rubles From the undercoat of the North American bison, an unusually soft and warm yarn of north-brown tones is obtained. It is especially good for allergy sufferers, because. does not cause skin irritation. Its other advantage is that this yarn does not form spools at all. Nothing happens to it even when washing in washing machine, and just because of this, it becomes especially fluffy. Ideal for knitting delicate lace shawls and scarves.
3rd place. Qivyut Price per 100 gr: 9400 rubles Qivyut is the undercoat of a musk ox (musk ox) that lives in the cold climate of the arctic tundra. The Eskimo word "kivyut" means "undercoat". Qivyut is one of the thinnest mammalian undercoats. The villi of musk ox wool are empty inside, making it very light and eight times warmer than sheep's wool. Even at high washing temperatures, it does not shrink. Musk oxen are not sheared, the undercoat is combed out by hand, which is possible only once a year in early spring. An adult weighing 400 kg gives only 2-3 kg of qiyut. Commercially available yarn is produced in Alaska, where it is obtained and processed in cooperation with the Eskimos.
2nd place. GUANACO Price for 100 gr: 20600 rub. Guanaco belongs to the camelid family and lives in the South American Andes and Pampas. Their population was greatly reduced after the arrival of the Spaniards. However, hunting them until today is not prohibited. Fortunately, the yarn is obtained from animals that should not lose their lives for this. The very fine undercoat of guanaco is one of the most exclusive fibers in the world, it is extremely expensive and rare. The fact is that these animals are now almost exterminated. Due to the exceptional rarity of 100% yarn, it is almost never sold.
1st place. VICUNIA Price per 100 gr: 30 000 rubles The absolute leader in the world of yarn! Vicuña, which, like the guanaco, belongs to the camelid family and lives in the South American highlands, is also called the "bearer of the golden fleece" because the wool of this animal is considered the rarest and most expensive in the world. Such wool costs approx. 9 600 rubles for one ball weighing 30 gr. High price is explained primarily by the fact that one vicuña produces only approx. 450 gr. yarn, and then only once every three years.
Even the ancient Incas appreciated the wonderful wool, which was given only to the most noble nobles. The vicunas were later almost exterminated by the Spaniards. Vicuña yarn is very thin, soft and warm, it cannot be dyed without being damaged, so only natural walnut color yarn is sold. Knitting from this yarn becomes an indescribable impression when you think about what value you hold in your hands. Due to the uniform structure, the patterns connected from it look good, and the knitted fabric turns out to be very even. It is perfect for knitting the thinnest, extraordinarily light shawl with an openwork pattern. Source - according to the materials of the Verena magazine, No. 1, 2009. The prices indicated in the article are three years old, now all luxury yarn is even more expensive!

Wool is considered real animal fiber if sheared from live sheep. "Dead" wool, collected in slaughterhouses, is in all respects much worse than "live".

About 270 thousand tons of sheep wool are produced annually in the world, with about a third of this amount coming from Australia, and the rest from the CIS countries, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, Uruguay, China, Turkey and the USA.

Woolen fabrics made from a mixture of long and short fibers are soft (although they do not wrinkle), but do not retain sharp folds. Worsted wool fabrics, or combed wool fabrics, are made only from long fibres. They are smooth, strong, quite durable, but acquire gloss in the process of wearing. For the first time, recycled wool tends to produce a textile that is stronger and more resilient than other types of wool.

Wool - animal hair (sheep, goats, camels, etc.). The bulk of the wool processed in the industry is sheep. Types of wool fibers: down (the most valuable thin, soft crimped fiber), transitional hair, awn (thicker, stiffer and less crimped than down, fiber) and "dead hair" (low strength and hard). Wool is used to produce yarn, fabrics, knitwear, felt products, etc.

Dead and living wool

Wool is considered a true animal fiber when sheared from live sheep.

"Dead" wool, collected in slaughterhouses, is in all respects much worse than "live". Woolen fabrics made from a mixture of long and short fibers are soft (although they do not wrinkle), but do not retain sharp folds. Worsted wool fabrics, or combed wool fabrics, are made only from long fibres. They are smooth, strong, quite durable, but acquire gloss in the process of wearing. For the first time, recycled wool tends to produce more elastic textiles than other types of wool. Ideal for upholstery and curtains, also used for bedspreads.

Types of elite wool

There are the following main types of elite wool:

Cashmere(WS)

CASHMERE (CASHMERE) is the finest down (undercoat) of a high-mountain goat of a cashmere breed that lives in the region of Tibet and in the province of Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Cashmere goats are also bred in Australia, New Zealand and Scotland.

Cashmere is refined, chic, trendy, sophisticated and rightly the most expensive material. It is no coincidence that it is called "royal yarn", "woolen diamond" or "precious thread".

Raw cashmere consists of threads, only 13-19 microns thick (human hair - 50 microns), so touching cashmere creates a feeling of splendor. Cashmere is so delicate that any shade in which it is painted looks as if through a light haze, very pleasing to the eye.

To obtain fluff, the goat is not sheared, but combed out by hand once a year, in spring, during molting. At the same time, one goat brings only 100 - 200 grams of fluff, and 1.5 - 1.8 kg of cashmere fabric is spent on the production of a coat, that is, the fluff of 15 animals. This is one of the reasons for the very high price of 100% cashmere products. Another reason for the popularity and high cost of cashmere is its exceptional softness, lightness, ability to retain heat and the absence of allergic reactions to it.

The popularity of cashmere is constantly growing. Today, customers choose cashmere as the best on the market. It may be expensive, but the exceptional comfort that it creates attracts more and more fans of this material around the world.

Alpaca (WP)

ALPACA is a type of llama. It lives in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of 4000-5000m. V extreme conditions(bright sun, cold wind, sudden changes in temperature).

Alpaca is a rare animal wool, its expensive sheared alpacas, unlike sheep. once a year and receive only 3-3.5 kg of wool from one animal.

Alpaca wool has exceptional properties:

• it is light, soft, uniform and silky, retaining a unique silky sheen throughout the life of the product;
  very warm (7 times warmer than sheep), with high thermoregulating properties (it is warm in the cold and not hot in the heat);
• durable (3 times stronger than sheep), not subject to rolling, dumping and jamming;
• resistant to pollution and does not cause allergic reactions;
• unlike the scaly and therefore prickly fibers of sheep's wool, alpaca fibers are smooth and comfortable to the touch;
• she has the biggest range natural colors(22 shades: from black, gray, burgundy, brown, cream to white).

No other type of wool has similar qualities. All of these properties create a feeling of unique aesthetic and physical comfort for the owners of alpaca wool products.

SURY ALPACA. Two breeds of alpaca are known: HUAKAYA (HUAKAYA) and SURI (Suri).

Huacaya is the most numerous and in appearance resembles a fluffy bear cub. In most cases, it is she who is meant by the name “alpaca”.

Suri is the rarest (only about 120 thousand alpacas - 5%) and valuable (2 times more expensive than Wakaya).

Compared to Uakaya, Suri fleece consists of longer and thinner fibers (19-25 microns) - these are uniform and thick curls, straight along the entire length and slightly curled at the ends, they do not contain guard hairs that reduce the quality of the fleece.

Suri wool is distinguished by its special softness and grace. In the old days, it was used exclusively in the clothes of royalty.

BABY SURY ALPACA. Depending on the thickness of the fibers, alpaca fleece is sorted into five quality categories.

The highest quality is wool type "BABY" (20 microns). If the original fleece was Suri, then it is the best, rarest and most expensive alpaca wool, called "Baby Suri alpaca" - this is alpaca of the highest quality in the world.

Angora (WA)
ANGORA - This is the down of angora rabbits.

Once upon a time, China, in response to Turkey's overpricing of the sought-after Angora goat wool, produced a softer and cheaper yarn called Angora. As it turned out, it was the fluff of wild rabbits, called angora. Under these conditions, the Turks called the wool of Angora goats “mohair”, which in Arabic means “chosen one”. Subsequently, Angora rabbits began to be bred in Europe and the USA.

Angora rabbits are the most charming of rabbits, reminiscent of a living soft toy. Currently, five breeds of Angora rabbits are industrially bred in the world: English, French, German, Giant and Satin. They differ in size and weight (2.5-5.5 kg), length of downy fibers, density of outer hair, color, volume of wool annually obtained (0.4-1.3 kg).

Angora wool is exceptionally soft, very warm and fluffy, with a characteristic delicate pile. Angora wool products create unique comfort and therefore are very popular and in demand. However, angora wool also has its drawbacks: the loose fixation of rabbit down in the yarn can cause abrasion of the fabric; the need to protect the angora from excessive wetting and clean it only chemically. However, products made from high-quality angora can last more than one year.

Merino wool
MERINOS WOOL is wool taken from the withers of a Merino sheep. Merinos, a breed of fine-fleeced sheep, whose homeland is considered Western Asia. Subsequently, they spread to the countries of Western Europe, North America and Australia.

Today, only in Australia there are about 150 million merinos, while one sheep on average produces up to 15 kg of wool per year (other breeds of sheep 6-7 kg). The yield of pure wool is 35-45%.

Merino wool is homogeneous and consists of very thin (13.5-23 microns) and soft downy fibers (for coarse wool breeds 23-35 microns). It is long (the length of the coat of annual growth is 6-8 cm), white, warm, and has excellent thermostatic properties. Due to the natural curls, it is elastic. It is important that it does not irritate the skin.

Merino wool is more expensive than regular wool. The price of the best batches of this wool (14-16 microns) at annual auctions reached several thousand dollars per kilogram.

Camel's wool
Camel hair (CAMEL) is a downy undercoat of a non-working two-humped camel (Bactrian), living in Central and East Asia. The most valuable is the Mongolian Bactrian wool.

The coat of a camel consists of an outer coarse hair (25-100 microns) and an inner soft down (17-21 microns), which makes up 80-85% of the volume. It is he who is called "camel hair". Once a year, it is collected (or combed out) in the amount of 4-9 kg per camel, sorted by color and composition, after which the finest and softest down is sent to the production of fabrics. For the manufacture of high-quality fabrics, the lightest and thinnest fluff of young camels (up to a year) is usually used.

Camel wool is light (twice lighter than sheep), soft and silky, but at the same time, the most durable and elastic. It is practical to wear, stain resistant and self-cleaning. It is the warmest and at the same time an excellent heat insulator that maintains a constant body temperature in various conditions. It protects well from moisture, and is also able to absorb and quickly evaporate it, leaving the body dry. In clothes made of camel hair, you will never sweat. In addition, it does not cause allergies and is able to relieve static stress.

Camel wool has unique healing and healing properties. Since ancient times, it has served as a cure for many diseases (more than 40). Its dry heat and organic substances contained in it have a beneficial effect on the skin, muscles and joints, improve blood circulation, promote vasodilation, activate metabolism and regenerative processes in tissues. Colds, osteochondrosis, sciatica, rheumatism, excess weight- this is only a small part of the ailments from which camel hair can protect and relieve.

Camel down cannot be treated with chemicals, including bleaches and dyes, so camel wool fabrics are produced in natural colors (14 colors: white, cream, beige, sand, reddish brown, dark brown, etc. .). This serves as an additional guarantee of the ecological purity of these fabrics.

Camel hair is exclusively natural, healing and environmentally friendly. Due to its properties, it has been a universal material for many years, giving people comfort and health.

Mohair (WM)
MOHAIR is the wool of Angora goats that live in Turkey (Angora province), South Africa and the USA. At the same time, more than 60% of the world's mohair is produced in South Africa.

Mohair is a luxurious natural fibre. It is one of the warmest and most durable natural materials yet exceptionally light and silky. Its natural shine is stable and durable, it does not disappear after staining. No wool has such a magnificent long pile with a stable and durable natural sheen.

Mohair comes in three main types:

1. The wool of a young goat up to 6 months (Kid Mohair), obtained at the first haircut. This is a thin (23-27 microns) and soft fiber with a length of 100-150mm. Kid Mohair of the highest selected quality is called Super Kid - the finest and most delicate fiber, silky and luxurious to the touch.
2. Goat's wool up to 2 years (Goating Mohair), obtained after the second haircut. It is also soft and thin.
3. The wool of adult goats (Adult Mohair), it is thicker (30 microns) and coarser than the rest.

The first two types of mohair are used to make luxury yarn. Mohair from adult goats is used, in particular, in the manufacture of outerwear.

The wool of Angora goats is uniform and usually white, which is especially appreciated due to its ability to be easily dyed in any color: from soft pastels to the most juicy.

Dyed mohair looks bright and natural at the same time. Its natural luster does not disappear after dyeing, and the colors do not fade or fade for many years.

Mohair products require delicate storage and careful care. They should be hung on hangers to avoid wrinkles, do not expose to high temperatures and dry at room temperature; clean only with a dry method, not forgetting that chemical treatment can shorten their service life.

Lama (WL)
LAMA (LAMA) - as well as Alpaca, originally from Peru. It has long been used as a beast of burden, so today there are llamas with both thin elastic hair and hard hair, which requires the selection of animals before shearing or combing.

Llama wool is a protein fiber that does not contain natural oils and lanolin. It has a complete warp structure and consists of two layers: an upper guard hair and an undercoat (down). The top hair is thick and does not curl. Its share is up to 20%. The undercoat is soft and luxurious with a thickness of 20-40 microns. It is used to make luxury clothing. With a full haircut, both layers are removed, and the coat is cleaned of protective hair. When combing, I get only undercoat. During processing, llama wool retains 90-93% of its original weight. The range of wool types and llama populations is very wide, which requires its selection for a specific type of product.

Llama wool is distinguished by its lightness and softness, the ability to perfectly retain heat (thermal capacity) and provide comfort in a wide range of temperatures (thermostaticity). It does not cause allergic reactions, is able to repel water and, unlike other types of wool, regulate its humidity in a range convenient for humans.

The llama's coat has an exceptional variety of natural shades, from white, ash pink, light brown, gray and silver to dark brown and black. White wool is well dyed. When painting, only natural paints are used.

The most luxurious yarn

A very special pleasure is knitting from luxurious and expensive yarn. Here are the types of the most expensive and luxurious yarn in the world!

10th place. YAK Price for 100 gr. - 800 rubles (all prices indicated three years ago, now more expensive)

The yak is a bull from Central Asia, domesticated thousands of years ago.

Yak wool is imported primarily from Tibet, where it is hand combed by local farmers. The fibers are not long (approx. 2.5 cm), in its natural form, yak wool is dark brown, but it is also sold dyed. It is pleasant to knit from it, it is very soft and warm.

Since ancient times, yak down has been perceived as a synonym for warmth, care, and softness. Due to its high spinning properties, wool yarn is widely used. Woolen yarn is similar in structure to human hair, so it is very comfortable in contact with the skin.

Of the general properties of wool, it is necessary to note the unique ability to retain heat, leveling the difference between body temperature and air temperature, hygroscopicity, softness and fit. Wool stretches well and is resistant to wrinkling. Woolen yarn retains heat better than vegetable yarn, and also gets wet much more slowly in a humid environment.

9th place. SILK. Price for 100 gr: 920 rubles.

Silk is a shimmering material, clothes from which were worn by the rulers of states for thousands of years. Silk yarn is easy to dye and is available in many shades. It is better to knit it on wooden knitting needles, because. on them, this yarn is not very slippery.

There are numerous types of silk. The highest quality is twisted silk, the worst quality is burette silk, which is made from the waste of cocoon-winding production. Unfortunately, the yarn manufacturers do not indicate how the silk was produced.

8th place. CAMEL Price for 100 gr. - 1040 rubles.

Unfortunately, camel wool yarn for hand knitting is sold very rarely, which is a pity, because it is warm, soft, and knits well. It has a smooth structure and is very elastic, making it especially suitable for knitting patterns.

The wool of camels is not sheared or combed out, the tufts simply fall out in the spring and are then collected. Only a gentle, wavy undercoat is used. Camel hair cannot be dyed.

7th place. ANGORA Price per 100 gr.: 2100 rubles

100% angora knits like a cloud and is just as nice to wear. It is incredibly soft, fluffy and light. It is better not to knit intricate angora patterns, they are almost invisible, but the front surface or an openwork pattern knitted on thick knitting needles looks good.

Keeping Angora rabbits is labor intensive and also requires great professional knowledge. Even a minor mistake can lead to the loss of productive adult animals. To restore losses and compensate for losses, it is required to raise animals of more than one year of age. Down collection is a very delicate and specific operation, and careless sorting irrevocably reduces the quality of the down.

First of all, not all climatic conditions are suitable for the production of angora wool: excessively high temperatures and intense lighting are very bad elements. In cold countries, or countries with cold winters, the best solution is to use buildings that protect animals from harsh winters.

However, animals immediately after the collection of down require special care. The nutritional requirements of Angora rabbits are important: a poor, unbalanced diet will always mean qualitatively and quantitatively poor down production.

6th place. ALPACA SURI (Gold of the Incas) Price for 100 gr: 2240 rubles.

Alpaca belongs to the camelid family and lives in the South American Andes. There are two types: huakayo alpaca and suri alpaca, from suri get more delicate and expensive yarn. Alpaca wool, thanks to its special structure, adjusts to body temperature. Baby alpaca yarn is especially gentle and soft. But for people with very sensitive skin, this yarn is not very suitable because of the thin protruding hairs.

Increasingly, these animals are bred in Europe. because they have not only excellent fur, but also a good-natured temperament, and therefore, like dolphins, they even serve therapeutic purposes.

5th place. CASHMERE Price for 100 gr: 2400 rub.

Cashmere is perhaps the most famous luxury yarn. There are about 20 breeds of goats originating from Central Asia, which are united by the concept of "Cashmir goat". These days they are bred all over the world, but the best quality still comes from the highlands.

Cashmere goats have a particularly long and fine undercoat, with hairs only one-third the diameter of a fine human hair. The wool is combed or plucked by hand, and in some countries cashmere goats are also shaved to make production cheaper. The main producer of cashmere is China.

Cashmere knitting is a real pleasure. It is smooth but non-slip, elastic and perfect for braided and embossed patterns. A good cashmere yarn hardly forms spools. A special luxury for the feet - socks made of yarn, which includes cashmere.

Today, cashmere is at its peak again. It is chosen by the first persons of the state and Hollywood stars, world-famous designers and show business icons. Italian President Berlusconi loves to flaunt cashmere from Brunello Cucinelli. Peter Brosnan, the famous agent 007, on the contrary, prefers Ballantyne cashmere jumpers. And Gwyneth Paltrow, Madonna and Angelina Jolie collect pashminas of different brands, give them affectionate nicknames and wear them not only to parties, but also to high awards.

Is it worth knitting from cashmere? After all, he is insanely expensive! For those who are still worried about this question, I will answer: “Don't! Cashmere is dangerous. It causes an "addictive effect". Once you try it, you may lose interest in another yarn forever!”

4th place. BISON Price for 100 gr: 5600 rub

From the undercoat of the North American bison, an unusually soft and warm yarn of northern brown tones is obtained. It is especially good for allergy sufferers, because. does not cause skin irritation. Its other advantage is that this yarn does not form spools at all. Nothing happens to her even when washed in a washing machine, and just because of this, she becomes especially fluffy. Ideal for knitting delicate lace shawls and scarves.

3rd place. Qivyut Price for 100 gr: 9400 rubles

Qivyut is the undercoat of the musk ox (musk ox) that lives in the cold climate of the arctic tundra. The Eskimo word "kivyut" means "undercoat". Qivyut is one of the thinnest mammalian undercoats. The villi of musk ox wool are empty inside, making it very light and eight times warmer than sheep's wool. Even at high washing temperatures, it does not shrink.

Musk oxen are not sheared, the undercoat is combed out by hand, which is possible only once a year in early spring. An adult weighing 400 kg gives only 2-3 kg of qiyut. Commercially available yarn is produced in Alaska, where it is obtained and processed in cooperation with the Eskimos.

2nd place. GUANACO Price for 100 gr: 20600 rub.

Guanaco belongs to the camelid family and lives in the South American Andes and Pampas. Their population was greatly reduced after the arrival of the Spaniards. However, hunting them until today is not prohibited. Luckily, yarn comes from animals that don't have to lose their lives to do it.

The very fine undercoat of guanaco is one of the most exclusive fibers in the world, it is extraordinarily expensive and rare. The fact is that these animals are now almost exterminated. Due to the exceptional rarity of 100% yarn, it is almost never sold.

1st place. VICUNA Price per 100 gr: 30 000 rubles

The absolute leader in the world of yarn!

Vicuña, which, like the guanaco, belongs to the camelid family and lives in the South American highlands, is also called the "bearer of the golden fleece" because the wool of this animal is considered the rarest and most expensive in the world. Such wool costs approx. 9 600 rubles for one ball weighing 30 gr. The high price is primarily due to the fact that only approx. 450 gr. yarn, and then only once every three years.

Even the ancient Incas appreciated the wonderful wool, which was given only to the most noble nobles. The vicunas were later almost exterminated by the Spaniards. Vicuña yarn is very thin, soft and warm, it cannot be dyed without being damaged, so only natural walnut color yarn is sold.

Knitting from this yarn becomes an indescribable impression when you think about what value you hold in your hands. Due to the uniform structure, the patterns connected from it look good, and the knitted fabric turns out to be very even. It is perfect for knitting the thinnest, extraordinarily light shawl with an openwork pattern.

Source - based on the materials of the journal Verena, No. 1, 2009

The prices listed in the article are three years old, now all luxury yarn is even more expensive!

Two and a half years have passed since the publication of this article, so I think it's time to update it and add more information to it, and at the same time make some edits.

Wool is one of the most the best materials. It breathes well, retains heat, does not dye, does not wrinkle slightly (although the degree of wrinkling is highly dependent on the specific woolen fabric). In addition, wool clothes look better and nobler than synthetic ones (there are exceptions, but they are rare).

There are a large number of varieties of wool and woolen fabrics; each of these varieties has certain characteristics and qualities that it is desirable to know before buying clothes or accessories. Let's look at all the main varieties. Let's start with varieties of wool by origin, and continue with knitwear and types of woolen fabrics.

Wool of different animals

Sheep's wool - perhaps the most common. Warms well and has a low price; very durable. Exist Various types sheep wool:

Lambswool- wool of lambs obtained from their first haircut. Soft, pleasant to the touch, valued above the wool of adult sheep and costs a little more. Widely used by manufacturers of clothing and fabrics. Read more about lambswool at. (By the way, the wool of lambs is also sometimes called bright wool).

Merino wool- wool of sheep of merino breeds, warm, and also soft and easy. Merino wool clothes more expensive than clothes from the wool of ordinary sheep, but if there is a financial opportunity, it is better to give preference to it. It feels nicer and looks nobler. Read more about merino wool here.

Shetland (Shetland; Scotland)- coarse, but wear-resistant wool from the Shetland Islands (part of Scotland). Coarse, rather hard, used for sweaters (especially with relief patterns type "pigtail" / "tow") and fabrics for informal jackets and coats. A good option for the winter - for those who love country style.

Cheviot- Wool from Scottish Cheviot sheep. It costs expensive; differs in the high durability, heat, but at the same time very rigid and rough. It is used for the production of fairly heavy and coarse fabrics (tweeds). One of the classic materials for British tweed jackets and suits.

Angora - wool of angora rabbits. Some people confuse angora with mohair. Very soft, fluffy and delicate to the touch; thick and light sheen. Durable and very comfortable; not prone to shrinkage; warm. At the same time, it is delicate: it should be cleaned only in trusted establishments and carefully; it is also highly desirable to avoid getting the angora products wet. Many sellers pass off mohair as angora (described below).

Camel wool very warm and at the same time quite light and durable; elastic and practical to wear. It is usually used in combination with sheep's wool in the manufacture of pullovers, coats, sweaters. Great option, but quite pricey.

Vigon (vicuna, vicuna)- very thin, delicate and soft to the touch, and besides, the warm coat of vicunas - animals from the camelid family that live in the Andes. Wool is harvested by hand and is very scarce. Vignoni products are extremely rare on sale due to their high cost - in fact, this is the most expensive wool in the world. Prices are fantastically high. Vicuña is woven into fabrics for coats and suits, typically priced in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Cashmere (cashmere) - very light and at the same time very warm woolen yarn, which is made from the wool of Himalayan goats (originally produced in the Indian state of Kashmir; now it is made not only in India, but also in China and Mongolia, as well as a number of other countries). This is an expensive, delicate and very delicate material, Not characterized by high wear resistance. Looks elegant and doesn't wrinkle. Cashmere products are easy to find, but the prices for good cashmere items are high; often cashmere is mixed with regular wool and/or polyamide.

Mohair- sheared wool of angora goats. It warms well, is durable and quite light, practically does not wrinkle. Usually has a specific luster, very noticeable. Sheep's wool is often added to the wool of angora goats, and sometimes acrylic is a synthetic material. Mohair is produced mainly in three countries: the USA, Turkey and South Africa. Mohair fabrics are used for jackets and coats; thin mohair fabrics are used for tuxedos.

Alpaca wool. Alpacas are artiodactyl animals of the camelid family, which are bred in the highlands of the Andes. Their wool is very light (much lighter than sheep), waterproof, slightly shiny and very, very warm, much warmer than sheep's wool and, according to some, warmer than cashmere. Scarves are made from alpaca knitwear; alpaca wool fabrics are used to make expensive suits; the lining of premium gloves can also be made from alpaca wool. In general, alpaca is an excellent option and, although more expensive than merino wool, is cheaper than vicuña.

Types of wool by processing method

First of all, it is worth saying that woolen items can be made both with the help of hand knitting (many sweaters, scarves, gloves, etc.), and from knitwear (pullovers, jumpers, etc. - “machine knitting” ), from felt and from fabric.

Products made from knitted canvases (which are made from yarn in a special way) are elastic, stretchable and soft, but do not look as formal and strict as woven items (for example, jackets). Often in modern knitwear add artificial materials: acrylic, viscose, polyester.

Suits, trousers, jackets, jackets, skirts and many other items of clothing are made from fabrics. According to the method of spinning, woolen fabrics are divided into worsted and cloth; cloth, in turn, are thin and coarse. Technical details are probably not interesting for non-professionals. As for the so-called consumer properties, then worsted fabrics are notable for their small thickness and smoothness, they are mainly used in the production of costumes; fine cloth fabrics are already thicker and denser, they are used to make informal jackets and suits, as well as coats; coarse cloth- even thicker, even stronger and rougher, usually used to make country-style coats and jackets.

Felt obtained from wool or rabbit fur. Wool is dumped, crumpled, pressed, and as a result, the fibers are woven into a single dense mass. Felt goes to the production of informal and semi-formal hats, both for men and women.

Varieties of woolen fabrics

Boucle- a dense and rough woolen fabric from which coats, short coats, jackets, informal jackets and jackets are sewn. Quite original, but not everyone likes it. The surface is embossed, with knots and loops, as if stretched out of the fabric.

Gabardine (Gabardine)- a dense, wear-resistant and durable fabric with a diagonal (twill) weave of threads, from which raincoats, jackets, short coats and coats are sewn. It can be not only woolen, but also cotton. By the way, gabardine was invented by the founder of the famous English company Burberry, Thomas Burberry. In the photo below - just a gabardine coat from Burberry.

Drap- heavy, thick, dense and coarse woolen fabric. Slightly "hairy" (hairy). Used to make coats. Drap retains heat well, is breathable, and is inexpensive.

Tweed- woolen fabric, which is distinguished by a peculiar texture and pattern. Dense and strong, rough; can be severe, but there are also mild varieties. Tweed is never completely monochromatic. It is used to make informal suits and jackets, as well as coats. There are several subspecies of tweed: Harris tweed; Donegal (Irish), Yorkshire and so on. Also available a large number of varieties of tweed according to the pattern: "", "chicken foot", "dog fang", "shepherd's cage" and others.

Flannel- Available in both wool and cotton. Soft and cozy, characterized by lightness and a velvety, somewhat fluffy surface; retains heat quite well. It does not like moisture very much, it dries for a long time. It is used for the manufacture of men's suits, trousers, jackets. It was the favorite fabric of Fred Astaire and Gianni Agnelli. Read more about flannel.

Stretch wool- fabric made of wool with the addition of elastane (2-5% of the total composition); clothes from it wrinkle less. practical material.

Gunny (Sack cloth / Sackcloth / Gunny). Fabric with a weave that forms a kind of very small embossed cell. Used in particular for classic blazers. Breathes well.

Whipcord (Whipcord). Woolen (but often also cotton) fabric with a diagonal "rib" (thin diagonal embossed stripes), used for sewing informal trousers.

Baratea (Barathea). Soft fabric with a diagonal (twill) weave and a slightly embossed surface. It can be made from both wool and silk, and from a mixture of wool and silk. Used for tuxedos and formal suits. The color is usually black or very dark blue.

Fresco . Lightweight woolen fabric used for summer jackets and suits. Harsh but breathable.

Double and triple yarn (2-ply and 3-ply)

Ceteris paribus, those fabrics that are made of double-spun woolen threads (double twist, 2-ply, 2-fold, double-twisted) are preferable - they are more wear-resistant and more durable. Such fabrics are less likely to tear and last longer.

An important point: it is desirable that the fabric is 2x2, that is, that both the warp and weft threads are double twisted. Unfortunately, 2x1 or 1x2 fabrics are more common now.

There is, in addition, three-thread yarn (3-ply). This, however, is already too much - triple-twisted wool is harsh and not particularly comfortable to wear. Although the strength, of course, is on top. But the price is also high.

Super wool

The number before the letter s (in the case of suiting woolen fabrics) indicates the “number” of the threads: the higher it is, the finer the fibers. As a rule, this means that the fabric will be softer, silkier and more noble in appearance; but at the same time the suit will be more expensive and less and less durable (ceteris paribus). The super prefix is ​​used for thread numbers 100 and above. Super fabrics are good for summer suits: you won't get hot in them.

In general, ceteris paribus, fabrics with low super values ​​are more practical and durable than fabrics with high super values; in addition, they are cheaper, but not as silky and pleasant to the touch.

• 80s and under- may seem rough and obviously not the softest and silkiest, but solid and durable fabrics. Suits and jackets made of them wrinkle slightly, serve for a long time. Great for fall/winter/spring. 90s is also a great option.
  
• Super 100s- usually more tender, softer, but more wrinkled and somewhat less wear-resistant (ceteris paribus). The cost of suits made from such fabrics, as well as from fabrics of the 80s and less, is within reason. Good choice for spring/summer/autumn.
• Super 110s - Super 130s- even more pleasant to the touch, wear resistance is even less, the price is slightly higher. A good option for the warm season.
  
• Super 150s - 180s- costumes made from these fabrics are usually even more delicate and silky, but they cost more and last less. In addition, they can wrinkle a lot, although it should be noted that some manufacturers offer advanced versions of super 150s fabrics with minimal wrinkling (of course, this also applies to lower super values). Personally, I would not buy things from fabrics larger than super 150s - and I will not advise anyone. The same opinion is shared by many foreign experts.
  
• Super 200s - 250s- as a rule, fabrics that are very thin, although very pleasant to the touch, do not last long, are fragile, extremely delicate, can be torn or rubbed shortly after purchase. They are expensive. They are considered the most prestigious, but only multimillionaires can afford it, given the service life of products made from such fabrics.