Mysterious Sheep-Pig Creature’s True Identity Revealed by Benjamin Radford
1 Million Spiders Make Golden Silk for Rare Cloth Article by Hadley Leggett from Wired.com
The Ancient Roots of Natural Fiber: A Closer Look at the Origins of Hand Spinning, Braiding and Weaving by Sabrina Stolfa
Rock paintings from "La Cova dels Cavalls" (The Horse Cave), as recorded by Hugo Obermaier and Paul Wernert in 1919.
“Spinning fiber is part of the ongoing revival of the fiber crafts, including braiding, weaving and knitting. How long ago did it all begin?
“Hand spinning is old…very old. Archaeologists have unearthed fiber samples dating back to Palaeolithic times – back when the woolly mammoth and cave bear still roamed the land. But if you thought that this ancient practice began with spinning wool, you’d be wrong.
“Among fragments that archaelogical digs have turned up are flax, hemp, nettle, jute and ramie. Bast fibers are the skeletal parts of plants, which hold the plant upright. The ancient peoples discovered how to extract this fiber and developed hand spinning and weaving long before the discovery of metal. In addition, it is now known that they had well-developed rope making and braiding techniques as well. (McCuin 2009:14)”
To view the full article see Suite101: The Ancient Roots of Natural Fiber. We would like to give our heartfelt thanks to Sabrina Stolfa for giving us permission to share her fabulous article with our subscribers. It is very much appreciated.
Mysterious Sheep-Pig Creature’s True Identity Revealed by Benjamin Radford
©Stephan.luckow of flickr
A big thank you to Mr Radford for giving us permission to share his article. We hope you enjoy it. Mr Radford’s article was originally published on April 22, 2010 at livescience.com.
“A series of photographs depicting a strange-looking sheep-pig creature have been circulating around the Web recently. The animals look much like a sheep—and are covered with the typical wool-like coat—but a closer inspection of the head and face reveals a decidedly porcine countenance.
“What are these bizarre creatures? Escapees from Dr. Moreau’s island? Hoaxes created for an animal sideshow at a State Fair? Photoshopped gags to forward to amused friends and co-workers?”
To read the full article click here.
1 Million Spiders Make Golden Silk for Rare Cloth Article by Hadley Leggett from Wired.com
Mr Leggett’s article was originally published on Sept 23, 2009 at Wired.com. He has graciously given us permission to share it with our customers.
“A rare textile made from the silk of more than a million wild spiders goes on display today at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
“To produce this unique golden cloth, 70 people spent four years collecting golden orb spiders from telephone poles in Madagascar, while another dozen workers carefully extracted about 80 feet of silk filament from each of the arachnids. The resulting 11-foot by 4-foot textile is the only large piece of cloth made from natural spider silk existing in the world today.”
To read the full article click here.
World Fiber Facts
Australia
Australia is the top wool exporter in the world. They lead other nations by producing 326,193 tons a year of clean wool. Eighty percent of all sheep raised in Australia are merino. With a sheep population numbering around 103,000,000, Australia’s wool industry is number one in the world for production of clean yield wool. To learn more about Australian wool, see Australian Government DAFF\’s Key Facts on the Australian Wool Industry.
China
China is produces about 0.6 million tons of tal ma (hemp) each year with a projected goal of 1.5 million tons production within the next 5 years. Hemp grows quickly only taking 4 months to reach maturity. It needs no pesticides or herbicides which makes it an eco-friendly crop which is great for China and the world. The Chinese government is trying to cultivate hemp production as a means of combating poverty. They have provided farmers with seed and training in hopes of doubling their income. The hope is that 3 million people will be brought out of poverty with this plan. For more information on the Chinese hemp industry, see CHINA.CN.ORG\’s article More Hemp to Increase Farmers\’ Income.
Falkland
The Falkland Islands are in the South Atlantic and are often one of the last stops for adventurers on their way to Antarctica. Fishing has become the main industry of the Falkland Islands displacing wool production. There are approx 2478 residents on the islands. Beautiful wildlife and lifestyles. You can learn more about the Falkland Islands here Falkland Islands Government.
India
India follows China in silk production for the world but leads the world in production of tussah silk. The county of Karnataka is responsible for about 70% of India’s silk industry. Sericulture is responsible for 5.6 million livelihoods. Most Indian silk is used for the domestic market. For more information on Indian silk see Indian Silk Industry article by Gaurav Doshi.
New Zealand
New Zealand is one of the largest producers of wool in the world. Second only to Australia, New Zealand produces approximately 174,971 tons of clean wool each year. With a population of roughly 4,200,000 people, the sheep outnumber them by 10 to 1! Agricultural exports is the largest industry. To learn more about New Zealand agriculture, see MAF\’s Wool Production in New Zealand.
Norway
Norway is home to the Old Norwegian sheep breed that we have all come to love not only for its beauty but also for its lovely fiber. The country of Norway hopes to lead the way in animal rights issues. The Storting (Norway’s Parliament) passed the New Animal Welfare Act in 2009. This act states that “animals are sentient beings and which have an intrinsic value irrespective of the usable value they may have for people.” We agree and applaud their efforts to ensure rights for animals. To read more about Norway, please see Norway\’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Peru
About one quarter of the population of Peru is involved in agriculture. There are 28,000 cotton producers in Peru and with good cause. Peruvian cotton is considered to be of extreme quality and is highly prized. International Fleeces is proud to offer only fair trade, organic cottons. Try spinning these fibers. You’ll feel good!
Sweden
Although only 2% of Sweden’s population is involved in the agriculture industry, the country is able to meet many of its agricultural needs almost entirely on its own. Livestock plays an important role in the lives of Sweden’s countrymen. Gotland sheep is the most numerous sheep breed in Sweden. For more information on Sweden, please see Swedish Board of Agriculture.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has a sheep population of 23,933,000. Their production of clean yield wool is approximately 28,647 tons. British wools are mainly used for knitting yarns, carpets, and tweeds. The majority of wool can be divided into three types: down, longwool, and mountain hill breeds. The British Wool Marketing Board was established in the 1950’s as a non-profit organization to promote wool sales for producers. It is farmer run. For more information about British wools see British Wool Marketing Board.
United States
In researching the US wool market, we found out some interesting facts:
-the most common sheep breeds in the USA are Rambouillet, Columbia, and Targhee.
-There are 6.19 million sheep in the USA.
-Greasy weight wool in 2006 was 16,329 metric tons.
-Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico are responsible for 70% of the US wool clip.
-Most of US wool that is exported goes to Europe.
For more information on the US wool industry, see American Sheep Industry Association.
Uruguay
Most of Uruguay’s international trade goes through Monte Video. Wool is one of their leading exports with the country producing an annual yield of approx 45 million kilos. Roughly 80 percent of all wool produced in Uruguay is made into top and exported. As of 2009, the breeds favored in Uruguay are Corriedale at 60%, Merino at 20% and Polwarth at 12%. To learn more about farming in Uruguay, see: http://www.farming-uruguay.com/farming.html.