Luxury Hair Fibers for the Fashion Industry
January 2016
in “
Environmental footprints and eco-design of products and processes
”
TLDR The industry should promote pure luxury hair fibers, improve technology, and diversify products to support growers and ensure sustainable use.
The document from 2016 provides a comprehensive overview of various luxury hair fibers used in the fashion industry, including cashmere, pashmina, pygora, cashgora, common goat hair, shahtoosh, Orenburg hair, camel hair, alpaca, vicuna, guanaco, angora rabbit, hare, musk ox (qiviut), bison, yak, cow, reindeer, horse, and chiengora (dog hair). It details the unique properties of each fiber, their applications in high-end fashion garments, and their market trends. The annual production of luxury hair fibers is about 50,000 tons, which is a small fraction (0.15%) of the total natural fiber production. The document also addresses environmental and sustainability concerns, such as the impact of rearing practices on grasslands and the risk of extinction for some species. It emphasizes the importance of government policies and sustainable practices to maintain the supply of these fibers while protecting the environment and animal populations. The document concludes by suggesting that the industry should focus on marketing pure products, identifying cost-effective technologies for value addition, and developing diversified clothing to improve the economic status of growers and ensure the future utilization of luxury hair fibers.
