Camel wool: Unique wool from the desert
What is camel wool?
Camel wool is a natural fiber that is mainly obtained from two-humped camels in Central Asia. Due to the extremely cold temperatures in the winter months, bactrain camels in Mongolia grow a dense coat of wool. This makes camels true experts in adapting to extreme temperature differences. In summer, their wool falls off in thick tufts. Most camels are kept as livestock by nomads, who in turn shear their wool in June and sell it on for textile production.
Why is camel wool special?
The fibers of camel wool store body heat particularly well, but can also have a cooling effect. Camel wool therefore has particularly temperature-regulating properties. These characteristics make camel wool an extremely popular material for comforters. Another area of application for camel wool in the textile industry is coats, which are particularly popular due to their beige and caramel brown color.
How does camel wool compare?
Compare camel wool with sheep and yak wool
The properties of camel wool
Warmth: Camel wool offers excellent thermoregulatory properties, meaning that it is able to retain heat in cold conditions and provide breathability in warmer conditions. Camel hair has these properties because camels live in extremely changeable climates. In the Gobi desert, temperatures fluctuate between -35 °C and +35 °C per year. Camel wool is also the preferred material for bedding and comforters due to its thermoregulation properties.
Moisture regulation: Camel wool can absorb and release moisture, which makes it particularly comfortable. Like most wool fibers, camel hair can absorb up to a third of its own weight in moisture.
Durability: Camel wool is hard-wearing and has a natural elasticity that helps textiles made from camel wool to retain their shape. With camel wool socks, however, you need to pay attention to how high the synthetic fiber content is in order to assess the durability.
Hypoallergenic: For people with sensitive skin or allergies to other types of wool, camel wool is a better alternative to virgin wool as it is hypoallergenic.
Animal welfare and sustainability: The production of camel wool is environmentally friendly and animal welfare-conscious, as camels live in areas with limited agriculture and nomads treat their animals gently to avoid stress during wool production.
Colors: Camel wool comes in a natural color palette of beige and caramel brown. Clothing made from camel wool is often undyed, as the fibers lose their natural properties when bleached.
How do camels live?
Camels are very social animals that live in groups led by a male. This allows camels to protect themselves from predators and survive better in the extreme living conditions of the desert. Camels are also extremely adaptable in the face of extremely harsh temperature changes and climatic conditions. Over thousands of years, camels have adapted so that their wool protects them from extreme temperature fluctuations. Camel wool regulates body temperature in spring, autumn and winter. In summer, camels shed their wool in tufts.
Kamele sind wahre Anpassungskünstler
Camels have also adapted physically to their habitat. A camel can close its nostrils during a sandstorm to protect itself from grains of sand. Their wide feet give them a better grip when travelling in open stretches of the mongolian desert without sinking in. In addition, camels can regulate their metabolism and thus save valuable energy. These animals are also able to drink astonishing amounts of water at once and store it in their bodies for weeks. For these reasons, 2024 was named the International year of the camilide by the United Nations. ausgerufen, um auf den Bedarf nach Anpassung im Angesicht harscher Lebensbedingungen durch die Folgen des Klimawandels hinzuweisen.
Kamele und Nomaden
Kamele in der Mongolei leben mehrheitlich in engem Zusammenspiel mit Nomadenfamilien. Eine kleine Ausnahme bilden Populationen von Kamelen in den Biosphärenreservaten der Wüste Gobi, die als Wildtiere unabhängig von menschlicher Tierhaltung leben.
Kamele als Nutztiere
Kamele dienen den Nomaden als Transportmittel und wichtiges Nutztier zum Überleben in der Wüste. Kamele geben Milch, Fleisch und Wolle, die in der traditionellen Lebensweise der mongolischen Nomaden eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Die Milch wird oft vergoren und als lang haltbares Nahrungsmittel konsumiert. Kamelfleisch ist äußerst wertvoll, da die Tiere nur sehr selten geschlachtet werden. Meist sind Kamele die wertvollsten Tiere einer Nomadenfamilie, da sie über Jahre Wolle und Milch geben und die Familien so über die Winter bringen.
Wandernde Lebensweise
Die nomadischen Kamelhirten der Mongolei ziehen mit ihren Kamelherden von einer Weidefläche zur nächsten. Die Tiere geben dabei den Rhythmus vor: Sobald sie zu weit laufen müssen, um neues Gras zu finden, wird die Jurte eingepackt und die Herde und ihre Nomaden ziehen weiter.
Diese traditionelle Lebensweise ist auf die Bedingungen der mongolischen Landschaft angepasst und ermöglicht Kamelhirten eine stetige Versorgung ihrer Tiere. Im Winter werden oft längerfristige Aufenthalte in stärker befestigten Lagern errichtet. Bei extremer Kälte sorgen Nomaden so für ein sicheres Überleben ihrer Tiere.
