Hair of the Dog

How to make your own chiengora
By Andrew Steventon

Fur doesn’t have to be inhumane. There is a product that is perfectly eco- and animal-friendly: chiengora – the generic name for wool made from pet hair. Chiengora gets its name from combining the French word for “dog” (chien) with “angora” (the fibre which chiengora is most similar to). It is 80% warmer than ordinary wool, so the two are often mixed during the spinning process so that wearers don’t overheat. Spinning pet hair is another way to recycle and as a viable replacement for other animal furs, it caters to the sensibilities of fashionistas and animal-rights activists alike. As gifts, dog hair garments and crafts are certainly original – just try finding a chiengora sweater for sale at the mall.

A lot of people collect dog hair for weaving into fabric and clothing. There are dozens of online businesses that sell both raw materials and finished products. But why shop around when you can do it yourself?

Chiengora DIY

When considering a foray into the world of pet-hair based yarns, it’s important to understand that different dogs have different textures to their coats. So, if you have a Golden Retriever, a Collie, or a Siberian Husky, you can easily make hats, sweaters, and other garments for people to wear. But the owner of a German Shepherd or a Jack Russell Terrier would probably be best sticking with tea cozies, wall hangings, and other non-wearable arts and crafts as the hair is shorter and more difficult to spin.

Getting Started

In order to create your very own chiengora, start collecting all the hair you can from frequent grooming sessions as well as from around the house. It can come from carpets, furniture, or even skimming the water after bathing your dog. To stay organized, it’s good to store it in plastic bags, labelled with the date and which pet it’s from (if you have more than one).

Treating the Hair

Clean the hair with a mild detergent or dog shampoo, after having first ensured that the hair is free from grass, dust bunnies, and other impurities. Agitate the hair vigorously until it starts to stick together and then rinse it in cold water (which will stiffen the yarn slightly). Squeeze out any excess water and lay it out to dry. This entire process will ensure that any “wet dog” smell will be cleaned from the hair.

Carding

Finally, the hair must be spun into yarn to be used to make your new, most prized garments and crafts. It must first go through the process known as carding, in which the hairs are aligned in preparation for spinning. A drop spindle or a spinning wheel can be used, both of which are available at most well-stocked knitting and craft shops. It’s amazing how much hobby equipment people part with after the initial enthusiasm of a new project wears off, so checking eBay and other online classifieds like craigslist and kijiji are also good options to explore.

Resources

Consider learning about the many spinning and/or knitting guilds, whether online or in your own neighbourhood (such as the Downtown Knit Collective) you’ll be able to make new knitting friends, and maybe even borrow some of their equipment.

If you decide that spinning the yarn isn’t for you, there are several companies that will do it for you (and some even make chiengora products):

• VIP Fibers
• Chiengora4U
• Designer Dog Yarn
• Spinning Straw into Gold
• Etsy Seller Spazspun

Chiengora isn’t as elastic as wool, and so it is best to hand-wash and air dry, in order to prevent them from deforming (just as with garments made with alpaca or angora fibers). Being short and silky, dog hair doesn’t hold together like wool, so it’s best to not use a tight tension when knitting. Chiengora also fluffs with continued use – creating a halo effect – especially with sweaters and other garments.

Fur Your Info

• Some dog fur sweaters have sold at auctions for up to $600.
• The sale of dog or cat hair and products was banned in New Jersey in January, 2000.