What is Angora?

Brief History

The English Angora is possibly the oldest recognized variety of angora rabbits. English merchants "discovered" the breed in Turkey in the early 1720s and brought it back to England, making several stops along the way. Whether or not this makes this breed the oldest variety is a matter of great debate.? Did the English possess it first because it was on their ship first? Or did the French possess it first because the rabbits were actually in France before they were England? Or perhaps, we just aren't giving the Turkish enough credit...

Rabbit Characteristics

The ideal weight of an adult English Angora is 6-6.5 pounds but their weight may range from 5-7.5 lbs. They are a small to medium sized rabbit with a compact body type, which means they have full a full chest and shoulders that balance  their hips and when viewed from the side should resemble a ball of fluff. The key characteristic of the English Angora is that they only grow wool on every part of their body, including the face and ears. In full coat, it is sometimes difficult to determine which end is which. 

Wool Characteristics

In regards to their wool, the English Angora is known for its softness. They have few guard hairs which gives the wool the feel of touching a cloud. The lack of guard hairs also mean that the yarn has less structure but more drape. However, this softness comes at a price. English Angora produce less fiber than other varieties and their lack of guard hairs requires increased grooming to prevent tangles. The fiber of the face, ears, and extremities that makes the breed so adorably iconic, tends to be too short to spin and yet still requires careful grooming.

Brief History

The French Angora is possibly the oldest recognized variety of angora rabbits. The French Angora was recorded as arriving in the Bordeaux region of France in 1723 on board an English Ship. Whether or not this makes this breed the oldest variety is a matter of great debate. Did the French possess the breed first because it landed there first? Or did the English possess it first because it was on their ship first? Or perhaps, we just aren't giving the Turkish enough credit...

Rabbit Characteristics

The ideal weight of an adult French Angora is 8.5 pounds but their weight may range from 7.5-10.5 lbs. They are a medium-sized rabbit with a commercial body type, which means they have full hindquarters that gently taper to the shoulder and should appear as an oval when looked at from the side. The key characteristic of the French Angora is that they only grow wool on their body and have a "clean" face and forelegs. This gives the French Angora the unique appearance of a regular rabbit that is wearing a very fluffy sweater.

Wool Characteristics

In regards to their wool, the French Angora is known for its high number of guard hairs. These guard hairs serve to protect the coat from debris and matting and thus make French Angoras "easy" to care for and quite beginner-friendly. These guard hairs do affect the finished yarn both visually and tactilely. Visually, guard hairs give French Angora yarn an extra "halo", where they protrude from the yarn in a way that gives the yarn an aura or ethereal quality. However, guard hairs are not as soft as wool, and in some cases, they are quite coarse, which can result in an itchy yarn. The feel and density of guard hairs differs greatly within the breed. 

Brief History

The Giant Angora is possibly the newest recognized variety of angora rabbits. More information about its breed origin is coming soon!

Rabbit Characteristics

There is no ideal weight for a Giant Angora. They can weigh 9.5 pounds and above. They are a large sized rabbit with a commercial body type, which means they have full hindquarters that gently taper to the shoulder and should appear as an oval when looked at from the side. Like the English, the Giant Angora can grow wool on the ears and face, however, the key characteristic of the Giant Angora is their sheer size and scale of wool production. Some Giants are double the size of other Angoras and can produce over a pound of wool a year per rabbit. 

Wool Characteristics

In regards to their wool, the Giant Angora is known for its production. They are a non-molting breed and must be sheered every 90 days, so caretakers must be comfortable handling rabbits and clippers. Due to their increased wool production, a good diet is crucial. Their fiber does possess guard hairs but not in the quantity found in the French Angora. The fiber of the face, ears, and extremities still requires careful grooming and in many cases is too short to be spun.

Brief History

The Satin Angora is possibly the first recognized variety of angora rabbits that originated in North America. It was created in the 1970s by Leopoldina Meyer, who wanted wool with more luster. She attempted to achieve this by crossing a French Angora with a Satin rabbit. After many generations of careful selection, the Satin Angora was born. 

Rabbit Characteristics

The ideal weight for the Satin Angora is 8 pounds, but their weight can range from 6.5-9.5 lbs. They are a medium- sized rabbit with a commercial body type, which means they have full hindquarters that gently taper to the shoulder and should appear as an oval when looked at from the side. Like the French, the Satin Angora does not grow wool on its face, however, the key characteristic of the Satin Angora is their sheen. They are the only Angora variety whose wool has luster, where it reflects light.  

Wool Characteristics

In regards to their wool, the Satin Angora is known for its sheen, but this luster comes at a price. The Satin Angora does not produce as much fiber as other breeds, and some spinners may find this fiber more challenging as the smooth silky wool tends to be "slippy". The sheen also helps to enhance the color of dyed wool and even natural colors may appear brighter. 

There are 2 other wool breeds recognized by ARBA. They are not angor and do not produce the amount of wool that an angora does, however, they make very soft and friendly pets.

• American Fuzzy Lop - Their weight ranges from 1 pound 14 ounces to 4 pounds. They come in many colors, have a compact body type and are the only recognized wool variety to have lop ears, which makes them possibly the most adorable rabbit in existence.  

• Jersey Wooley - Ranges from 1.5 to 3.5 pounds with an ideal weight of 3 pounds. Comes in many colors and has a compact body type, flatter face and short erect ears. 

There are 3 popular Angora varieties that are not recognized by ARBA.

• German Angora- The most popular of the unofficial Angora breeds. The German Angora has dubious origins and is the only breed of angora that has an association devoted only to that breed. The International Association of German Angora Rabbit Breeders was founded in 1987. 

• Russian Angora- When the French and English breeds were first officially recorded in 1902 by Jan Burgartz, She also listed this breed among them. The Russian Angora still exists into the present day, but it is rare to find them in America. Information about them is not readily available in English, but it seems as though there are subvarieties of the Russian Angora that include a larger commercial type, as well as a smaller pet type.

• Chinese Angora- The Chinese Angora is the most popular Angora in the world. China is the world's leader in Angora wool production and has over 50 million Angora rabbits in their nation. The Chinese Angora or "course angora" is a larger variety that does not molt. 

Last but certainly not least is a rabbit that is neither recognized by ARBA nor an Angora, but should be included nonetheless. The Teddywinder is a composite breed that is very small, fluffy, and also has lop ears.