Badma Yarns sources baby camel wool directly from producers in Mongolia, and conditions the wool in Switzerland, in one of the best Swiss spinneries where every step of the process is looked after in an old-fashioned way and the tradition of Swiss perfectionism is present all over the place.
Camels of two types are known: one-humped - dromedaries and two-humped - bactrians. Dromedaries are widespread in Western Asia and Africa. In Central and East Asia: in Mongolia, North China, Kazakhstan, the Caucasus, bactrians dominate - they are the main suppliers of wool to the world market. Bactrian is an animal weighing 450-500 kg, the main feature of which is two high humps covered with a dense layer of thick wool, which reliably protects from sudden temperature fluctuations, strong winds, sand and dust storms.
Our wool is spun from the down of two-year-old camels. Little camels grow up slowly and are susceptible to colds, so herders do not shear one-year old younglings. Two-year-olds are shorn in the spring, when they are old enough not to be afraid of an unexpected cold snap. Momma camels can have babies only once every two years, this is why so relatively little baby camel wool is produced for the market. The size of the herd of adult camels is much more significant. Baby camel wool is liked for its softness and durability, and is widely used for luxury goods production.
The wool of the camel species is hollow inside, which is why it insulates so well. Also, camel wool is more than twice lighter than sheep wool and much stronger. Therefore, things made of camel wool are more versatile and durable. By the way, did you know that it is camel wool that is used to insulate cosmonauts' spacesuits and polar explorers' clothing?
Camel and baby camel wool is very durable, your product will last a long time. It will be also very light and warm. The warmth of the camel wool is dry, so this wool is used for warming belts, socks and knee pads. Camel wool is less expensive than cashmere, so it is suitable for thrifty knitters.
We recommend average knitting density for the camel wool as it opens after washing: the down needs some space to expand. Our 3-ply camel yarn can be comfortably knit on No.3 to No.5 needles.
The thickness of baby camel fiber is slightly more than that of cashmere, it ranges between 16 to 19 microns. A human hair can be anywhere 60 to 180 microns thick.