Qiviut (muskox down)

Qiviut (Inuktitut, pronounced kiv-yoot) is the fine ash-grey undercoat of the Arctic muskox (Ovibos moschatus). Wild animals in Alaska, Canada and Greenland shed the fleece naturally in early summer; the fibres are gathered from bushes and the ground, or combed out from managed herds. Fibre fineness is around 17 µm (finer than cashmere), and the hollow fibres are exceptionally insulating – roughly eight times warmer than sheep's wool at equal weight.

Unlike sheep's wool, qiviut contains no lanolin, does not itch and does not felt (it does not shrink even in boiling water) and is therefore easy to care for. One muskox yields only about 2–3 kg of raw fleece per year, of which much less remains as pure qiviut after removing the guard hair. Raw price is about USD 1 per gram – roughly double cashmere. Uses: ultra-premium scarves, hats, fine-knit accessories. Main commercial source: the Oomingmak co-operative of indigenous women in Alaska.

• Fibre diameter: about 17 µm
• Warmth: about 8× sheep's wool
• Does not felt, no lanolin
• Yield: 2–3 kg raw fleece/animal/year