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Funny Bunny: What’s Angora Wool, Anyway?

Here comes Peter Cottontail again, to review all the types of rabbit hair you might see advertised.

Consumer News

Funny Bunny: What’s Angora Wool, Anyway?

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How much hare hair is in there?

Trying to figure out how much rabbit is in your coat and other clothing items? There are two main materials produced from rabbits: Rabbit fur, sometimes known as coney fur, and Angora wool. Confusing matters is mohair, which does not come from rabbits but Angora goats. This coat here is rabbit fur.

Rabbit Scarves

These scarves are rabbit fur from the pelt of skinned rabbit, often from one slaughtered for its meat. Peter Cottontail loses his bunny tail, and everything else, in this method of gathering fur.

Oh no!

Aww, don’t you worry. Not you, little guy. You’re too cute. Your warm coat can stay right where it is on you.

Angora Wool

Meanwhile, Angora, properly known as Angora wool, is made from the sheared fur of Angora rabbits, a bunny breed native to Ankara (formerly Angora), Turkey. Isn’t this fuzzball adorable?

Regular Rabbits Are Less Fuzzy

Here’s another regular rabbit for comparison. This little one is nowhere near as fluffy as his Angora friends. He better be careful or he’ll end up a scarf.

How Angora Wool Is Made

The Angora wool is harvested from the rabbits three or four times a year, either via shearing or plucking, much like how wool is taken from sheep. The fur is spun into fibers and often mixed with more durable wools.

But It’s Okay Though!

This rascally rabbit makes out all right in the production of Angora wool. It’s just a haircut for these fuzzy hares.

But What About Mohair?

Mohair is a fabric, though sometimes confusingly labeled, that does not come from Angora rabbits but from the sheared wool of an Angora goat. This Angora goat here is clearly not a rabbit, but it does share its name and home city with one.

This Is Not a Goat

Mohair is now rarely referred to as Angora to avoid confusion with the rabbits. Here’s another Angora rabbit. It’s definitely not a goat.

Bunnies!

Remember: Rabbit or coney fur comes from rabbit pelts, the skin of dead rabbits. Angora wool comes from rabbit fur sheared from fuzzy, live rabbits. Mohair comes from Angora goats. Happy Easter to all the bunnies out there.

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