If you've been paying attention then you've noticed that knitting has become a very popular trend in the past few years. This has set off an increase of online and physical yarn stores that are rapidly appearing everywhere, in fact, novelty and traditional yarns are also becoming readily available in a variety of textures, thickness and colors.

One type of yarn that everyone is hoping to get their hands on is angora yarn. If you know anything about angora wool then you won't confuse it with mohair which comes from Angora goats. The similarity in names often causes a confusion and people believe they are purchasing one product when in all actuality they are buying something completely different.

What you Don't Know about Angora Wool

Angora yarn is revered for its low micron count. A micron is the measurement used to express the diameter of a wool fiber. If a wool is fine it will have a lower micron count than a wool that is more coarse.

As a point of reference, merino wool ranges from 10-25 microns while mohair has a micron count of 25-45 microns. Angora wool, however, maintains a micron count of 12-16 microns.

Angora wool is also very valuable because it has an incredibly fluffy feeling. So if you've ever wondered how you can get hold of that light and downy appearance you've noticed in certain garments, the answer is fluffy angora yarn. In fact, angora wool is also one of the warmest types of yarn.

If you're wondering why this wool is so warm it's simply because of the hollow strands of hair, a characteristic that gives angora wool insulating properties.

Some people don't like the halo effect that surrounds this type of wool, however it can be spun together with other wools to make it less irritating and also less expensive.

In fact, it may be easier to get hold of angora knitwear that also contains some percentage of other wools, even acrylic fibers. This also goes for angora sweaters. However, you may be able to find smaller accessories (mittens, scarves and caps) that are made with 100% angora wool.

Luckily, if you're a do-it-yourselfer then you can get hold of 100% angora and make your own project. Because this fiber is natural, you can dye it yourself or simply look for dyed wool.

Angora Rabbits

As with other wool-giving animals, angora wool is removed from the rabbit by one of two processes. The rabbit can be either sheared or combed in order to remove the wool. Combing is often preferred over shearing because it doesn't lead to a cut strand of lesser quality.

Unlike larger animals, rabbits can be kept in residential areas. This is why so many people decided to raise their own animals and spin their own yarn. However, this does require a certain level of investment, both in time and money.