Link to: International Year of Natural Fibres 2009: Camel
Link to: Current information about Camel Fibres


Wikipedia: Camel – Camelus


Camel Fibre Facts:

The two-humped Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus) is native to the steppes of Eastern and Central Asia. The current herd size is estimated at 1.4 million animals. The Camel’s fine inner down is combed away, shorn or collected during the 6-8 weeks moulting season. An adult camel yields about 5 to 10 kg of fleece per year.

The fine down fibre of the Bactrian Camel averages around 20 microns in diameter and varies in length from 2.5 to 12.5 cm. Baby Camel hair, which can measure as little as 16 microns (on a par with fine Cashmere), is the softest and most prized. Owing to its quality and scarcity, Camel hair is used in luxury textiles.

Statistics on world production of Camel hair are very limited. In the 1990s, production in China was estimated at about 2 000 tonnes, more than half of it from Inner Mongolia, while exports totalled around 500 tonnes.

Source: FAO 2009 and DNFI 2020