Although the coloured wool is of no interest to the commercial spinning mills, it has always been highly prized by hand spinners for its subtle delicate shading and soft colours. Angora rabbit wool is estimated to be many times warmer than sheep wool.

At present commercial angora wool production in this country is not an economic business as food and labour costs far exceed the price paid per kilo of wool.

Also, understandably, the mills will not accept consignments of less than 200 kilograms at a time and it would require at least 800 angoras to produce that quantity of wool each year.

A small home industry is far more satisfactory for the wool is clean to handle and may be spun as it comes off the rabbits back. The most popular way to use angora wool is to spin a medium fine yarn, and wind it into a tight ball, and knit it stranded alongside any machine spun knitting wool, this will transform ordinary garments into luxury articles both warm and attractive.

It can also be plied alongside a strand of home spun yarn such as fleece or silk. A little angora carded with fleece is an ideal way to use angora and if a carded blend of fleece and Angora is planned for a totally hand spun garment, and then it is advisable to ply the yarn before spinning.

If a 100% is to be used for a garment then make it something light and airy, preferably a lacy pattern. Angora does require more twist than fleece but bear in mind when using more than thread in a yarn that fibers used are of a compatible nature, do not put a coarse hairy fiber with delicate angora fibers, the end result is not worth your time and effort.