| Possum/Merino Spinning Fiber (Opossum)
Yes! We have Possum from New Zealand! This very unique fiber spins up surprisingly well. This fiber is catching on in New Zealand, very warm.
This exciting new blend utilizes the superb values of opossum down. This down fibre is almost unique in that it is a hollow fibre, making it both light and warm to wear. It is a smooth fibre which combines with other natural fibers to produce a yarn which doesn't pill and is hard wearing, the light opossum fibers standing out to give a slightly fluffy look to the finished garment.
Opossum down is similar in quality to mink and is around 25-35 millimetres (1 -1.5) inches in length. The underfur is light in color, the guard hairs are dark and tend to stand out from the spun yarn. We suggest that you spin this fairly fine and quite firm rather than bulky. The finished garment will only look its best after the first washing.
The Australian Brush Tail opossum was introduced to New Zealand in 1800's. In an absence of natural predators it has multiplied so profusely that in many areas forest devastation is critical. In the past few years it can even be found right in the heart of our cities and has become #1 noxious animal in New Zealand. The fur has been used in conjunction with wool blends for several years in production of very high quality knitted garments. Sliver of consistent quality suitable for hand spinning has been difficult to obtain but we were able to get a small quantity.
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