A ranked itemizing of the rarest wool and fibers on this planet available on the market for knitting and crochet
Even a knitting newbie may take into consideration terribly cosy fibers like cashmere or angora wool. Nonetheless what are the most expensive yarns on this planet? Are there rarer and extra distinctive yarns than that? Actually, and on this textual content I’m going to rank them by rarity and softness!
Let’s dive appropriate into these luxurious yarns!
#1 Vicuña
The unstated prime spot belongs to the Vicuña. These wild camelids hold all via the altiplano in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia at altitudes of above 4,000 meters. It’s an endangered species that solely recovered all through the current decade. Commerce is rigorously regulated. A single one-ounce skein can value as reasonably quite a bit as 300 USD, and scarves vary between 2,000 and three,000 USD.
Vicuña yarn merely will not be solely specific due to it has a really low micron rely nonetheless a very excessive consolation scenario (99 components out of 100 doable). I’ve a full article on vicuna yarn the place I am going into larger facet correct proper right here. Excessive-quality Vicuña yarn must be hand-shorn and hand-sorted. Every of the free-ranging animals solely produces spherical 500 grams of wool per yr. Along with its frequent shortage, the terribly labor-intensive manufacturing course of explains the acute value.
Worth: 900-1200 USD per 100g
Softness: 8-14 microns
Availability: 2-3 distributors worldwide; yearly manufacturing ~12 tons
#1.2 Paco Vicuna
Just lately, makes an attempt have been made to cross vicuña as soon as extra with the domesticated alpacas. The tip result’s named “paco-vicuna”. The fiber these animals produce is virtually as cosy as their ancestors’ nonetheless with an extended staple dimension. It furthermore is obtainable in totally fully completely different tones and not at all merely the an identical outdated cinnamon coloration.
Most significantly, paco-vicuna could very effectively be raised all through the U.S. In the intervening time solely giant small-scale farms dedicate themselves to bringing yarn to the market and it’s nonetheless very highly effective to return again once more by.
Worth: 350-550 USD per 100g
Softness: ~12-20 microns
Availability: Solely available on the market straight by the use of small breeders all through the USA; yearly manufacturing: unknown; presumably lower than 1 ton.
#2 Cervelt™
The presumably rarest fiber on this planet is called Cervelt™. There’s solely a single producer positioned all through the North of New Zealand that discovered a solution to flip the terribly cosy undercoat of the native crimson deer into a very cosy fiber.
The yarn feels decidedly totally fully completely different and virtually a bit stiff earlier than you wash it the primary time. It’s stated to be barely sturdy. Nonetheless, that’s nothing I used to be in a position to affirm myself. Then as soon as extra, I can affirm that the yarn is terribly springy with an uncommon diploma of elasticity.
Worth: 400-500 USD per 100g
Softness: 13 microns (very low variation!)
Availability: 1 producer worldwide; yearly manufacturing ~1.5 tons
#3 Qiviut
Qiviut (usually pronounced ki-vee-oot) is the cosy down of the musk ox. These free-ranging animals hold far up north in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. At first of the quick summer time season, they shed their terribly insulating undercoat in a comparatively momentary span of time. The locals accumulate these sheddings, type them, and alter them into terribly cosy yarn. Some small farms furthermore breed musk oxen.
Qiviut is very fluffy, virtually cloud-like. I might attribute this attribute to the prevalent spinning methodology and not at all reasonably quite a bit to the fibers themselves. It’s furthermore stated to be exceptionally heat. That’s one completely different attribute I am unable to affirm myself and it appears to be a fantasy repeated with out query.
In any case, it’s terribly cosy and heat. Nonetheless so is cashmere or high-quality merino yarn. Usually, it’s the spinning methodology that defines how insulating a fiber is. The looser and fluffier the thread, the extra air pockets are being created and the hotter it would truly actually really feel.
Worth: 350-500 USD per 100g
Softness: 12-14 microns
Availability: Solely small-scale manufacturing for knitters; 5-6 tons
#4 Guanaco
Guanaco are shut relations of the Vicuña. They appear to be a bit bigger and customarily hold at decrease altitudes. This will likely more and more clarify why their downs are a tiny bit sturdier – nonetheless, terribly cosy! They’re furthermore fairly a bit extra considerable (the inhabitants is estimated to be spherical 2 million all via the Andes).
Curiously sufficient, knitting top of the range yarn is also very uncommon to hunt out. Whereas the locals do appear to gather the fibers from the herds, only a few of the yarn make it to the worldwide market. As of now, there are solely 2-3 retailers that promote the bizarre fiber on-line.
Worth: 280-550 USD per 100g
Softness: 10-20 microns
Availability: Solely small-scale manufacturing for knitters; yearly manufacturing: unknown
#5 Arctic Fox
Artic Fox may most likely be, even earlier than Cervelt™, the least acknowledged and rarest yarn on this planet. I solely discovered about it 3 years before now myself. The Inuit have been wanting arctic foxes for tons of of years. The pelts have frequently been highly-priced nonetheless solely not too method again did I come all via arctic fox yarn.
I’m solely conscious of two little communities that produce small elements of yarn yearly – and even that’s usually a mixture. It’s a barely gray, terribly fluffy yarn that feels terribly cosy.
Worth: 270-340 USD per 100g
Softness: unknown
Availability: no industrial manufacturing in the least; yearly manufacturing: unknown; most likely lower than a ton.
#6 Arctic Hare
The Inuit furthermore hunt Arctic hares for his or her meat and pelts. Very similar to the Arctic fox, the downs might be grew to grow to be yarn. As quickly as further, I’m solely conscious of two retailers that market it as a mix of merino and silk. Very like Angora, it’s very cosy, fluffy, and virtually dazzlingly white.
Worth: 270-340 USD per 100g
Softness: unknown
Availability: no industrial manufacturing in the least; yearly manufacturing: unknown; most likely lower than a ton.
#7 Bison
As shortly as just about extinct all through the wild, bison have made a comeback. It’s estimated that the present inhabitants is spherical 500.000 – though few of them truly hold all through the wild. The fact is, fairly a few of them are slaughtered for his or her meat and pelts yearly. Whereas positively very distant from an commerce, some industrious spinners have began to promote bison yarn.
It is a labor-intensive course of the place the downs are combed from pelts after which sorted. These downs could very effectively be as skinny as 16-18 microns (numbers on-line are in all places and I’m undecided how factual most of them are). Nevertheless, the guard hairs and outer layers could very effectively be reasonably quite a bit thicker.
In consequence, it is attainable as a way to to discover a actually big self-discipline of qualities. Relying on how efficiently the uncooked fibers had been sorted, chances are you’ll find yourself with a skein that’s as cosy as Cashmere or one issue that reminds you a bit extra of your native homespun sheep wool.
Worth: 130-300 USD per 100g
Softness: 17-55 microns
Availability: solely small-scale distributors; yearly manufacturing: unknown; presumably between 5-10 tons
#8 Lotus Silk
Silk is often produced by the mulberry silkworm. Nonetheless, the stems of lotus flowers (and the leaves) might be grew to grow to be what the locals title lotus silk. These terribly high-quality, nevertheless sturdy fibers are extracted manually after which spun by hand.
The result’s a yarn that’s distinctive, costly, and highly-priced by the locals. Not for its softness. It’s barely coarse. Neither for its sheen or luster. It’s barely uninteresting and brown. They cherish it due to lotus flowers are so deeply entwined with native beliefs all by Asia (notably in Buddhism).
Worth: 150 USD per 100g
Softness: 5-8 microns
Availability: Just one vendor worldwide; yearly manufacturing: unknown; presumably lower than 5 tons
#9 Possum yarn
Ever since New Zealand was colonized it had a big drawback with invasive species. In consequence, the endemic wildlife crashed – with my species now extinct or critically endangered. Possums are literally one in all these animals that shortly tailored to the native circumstances and wreaked havoc.
New Zealand set itself the objective to be predator-free till 2050. Contained in the course of, plenty of these invasive species are being hunted down – a whole bunch and a whole bunch of possums are amongst them. To fund a few of these endeavors, a wide range of the pelts are grew to grow to be yarn. Because of the staple dimension is so quick, the cosy downs are solely bought as a mixture.
Because of the quick staple dimension and the marginally straight hairs (little or no crimp or curl), the yarn will truly actually really feel a tiny little bit extra itchy than fully completely different fibers with a comparable thickness. In the midst of the spinning (and sporting) course of, these skinny hairs find yourself protruding.
Worth: 35-50 USD per 100g
Softness: 17-18 microns
Availability: A minimal of 1 main producer in New Zealand; a wide range of on-line retailers; yearly manufacturing: 40-50 tons
#10 Mink Cashmere
Mink have been hunted (and later bred) for his or her high-quality fur since ages. China has frequently carried out an compulsory carry out all through the fur commerce. Just lately, I’ve seen a particular few producers use the longer hair of the tails and alter them into yarn. That is one completely different giant short-staple dimension yarn that usually is solely available on the market as a mixture (with angora, merino yarn, and so forth).
Personally, I hold a bit uncertain in relation to the same old of the yarn. I think about that fairly a wide range of the skeins marketed as 100% mink truly comprise fully completely different fibers as efficiently. And, maybe extra importantly, you might be conscious that the mink (and Chinese language language language weasel) are usually raised in very small cages in questionable circumstances.
Worth: 30-45 USD per 100g
Softness: unknown; presumably all through the vary of cashmere (~14-18 microns)
Availability: yearly manufacturing: unknown; presumably 10-50 tons
Utterly completely different costly yarns
This itemizing is certainly solely a starting. Primarily, you most likely can flip one factor that has fur into yarn. Do it’s a must to look all through the web, chances are you’ll even uncover spinners that will flip the sheddings of your canine or cats into yarn.
Cashmere, Angora, and Child alpaca are positively furthermore pretty yarns that exhibit plenty of the qualities I highlighted on this textual content. By comparability, these are each cheaper and extra considerable.
Then there are yarns like golden orb spider silk that’s merely not available on the market commercially.
One could furthermore stage out Shahtoosh yarn that’s banned from not solely purchasing for and selling nonetheless even proudly proudly proudly owning in an entire lot of worldwide areas on account of conservation factors. Shatoosh is (or barely was) made out of the downs of the Tibetan antelope and is often thought-about the easiest animal hair on this planet. The diameter ranges from 6.25 to 16.25 microns and it’s thus even finer than vicuna.
