Camelhair

Camelhair comes from the two main subspecies of 'Camelus L', the two humped Bactrian camel and the one humped Dromedary (Arabian) camel. These camels are closely related to the Alpaca/Llama of South America and are used mainly to transport loads in dry areas of the world, due to their ability to trek for long distances without needing water.

Camelhair is 100% natural. The camels have coats that are mainly reddish or light brown in colour, however, a rare number can be found with a highly valued cream coloured fleece. Their coat consists of two parts - the coarse and strong outerhair which tends to be used more for carpets and insulation, and the softer underhair, which is used in textiles.  In Spring, the camelhair detaches from the animal and is collected by hand, the finest and softest hair coming from younger animals. Baby camelhair is the result of many years of selective breeding and it is the underhair from the baby camel that is used in Eribe's camelhair garments, due to its softness and fine micron.

Normally, the down hair used in textiles is between 17 and 21 microns. The fibre staple length is long - this reduces pilling and makes the garment last for many years due to its strength. The breathable fibre is natural and undyed and causes no allergies as no chemicals are used. Only soap is used to clean the fibres.

Warm but light in weight, camelhair was very popular in the 1960s and 70s because of its attractive beneficial characteristics. Usually worn outdoors, Eribé's camelhair cardiagans are very comfortable to wear, and are smart yet casual. They can be dressed up with a shirt and tie or worn over a plain t-shirt for a more casual look.

View our Camelhair Collection

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