When you hear the term “luxury textiles,” do you think silk, vicuña [vi-COO-nyah] or cashmere? Chances are you don’t conjure up chiengora [she-en-GŌ-rah] — but maybe you should.
Chiengora — a mashup of “chien” for “dog” and “gora” for legendary luxe angora fibers — means turning dog hair into textiles. Since the hair is simply gathered after grooming, no dogs are harmed.
There’s a lot to be said for dog hair — it’s hardy, fine yet warm and spins into gorgeous fabric. It’s the marketing that’s tough. Gathering dog hair from grooming salons is ideal for consistency but costly. That’s why some dog yarns cost at least 650 dollars per kilogram.
Once pooch parents are educated about the process and the sourcing can be scaled, these high-quality textiles might be able to sell themselves.