Spinning Tails

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What to do with all that extra dog hair

By Beth J. Bates

I've often said that I could make another dog out of all the hair I sweep off the floor. Well, I've recently discovered that while you can't necessarily make another dog, you can make something useful out of all that hair.

Several business have popped up that will spin your dogs hair into yarn - yes, yarn.
I have to admit that I can't get past the fact that dog hair is dirty. You can wash a dog a thousand times, but at the end of the day dogs get into dirty things. So, I thought that this process was frankly, kind of gross.

I was so skeptical that I wrote to a pet yarn company and asked them for a sample which they happily provided. Low and behold...it wasn't dirty at all. It was fluffy and clean and felt like regular yarn. Pretty cool. Pet hair is also a sustainable way to re-use something that you would normally just throw away.

According to VIP Fibers, pet yarn (called chiengora) gives a "halo" effect - that fuzziness that you get from Angora or Mohair. By working the yarn and subsequently separating the hair particles, the fur takes on the halo effect and turns fuzzy. VIP goes on to say that pet fur products are 80% warmer than wool.

Collecting your pet's fur is as easy as a regular brushing. Fur does not need to be clean, but if you brush your dog after a bath, the fur has to be dry or it will get moldy. Since dogs only shed a small amount of fur, you'll need to store the fur properly. VIP suggested storage in an old white pillowcase hung in a well lit area to avoid the growth of mold and the attraction of moths. The pillowcase packed tightly will hold approximately 50oz. of pet hair. Products can be spun from as little as 4 oz.

Don't worry, the pet hair is thoroughly cleaned and deodorized before your yarn is delivered to you. Hair of the Dog does warn that other dogs still may pick up the scent of your scarf or purse. So don't be alarmed when you find a dog with its head in your bag!

The yarn can be spun into gloves/mittens, scarves and hats..even little purses! Detta's Spindle even offers a variety of creative products created form your dog's hair including teddy bears and dream catchers.

Costs for spinning your pet hair into yarn ranges from $9 - $20. Products like scarves and purses range from about $35 to hundreds of dollars.

So the next time you think about tossing that large pile of dog hair in the corner, grab a pillowcase and start saving! You will be "warmed" by the results!




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