There are about 600,000 bison in the United States and Canada. About 10% are slaughtered each year in the United States and Canada for their meat. It is from these animals that the hair which was once waste product is now being used to produce handknitting yarns.

 

Bison down is extremely soft and much like cashmere. It's incredibly light weight and perfect for small lace accessories. The shaggy mantle of the bison is composed of four different types of guard hair and the down that is nestled beneath the coarser hairs. It is a strong fiber, but soft and very insulating. In terms it's ability to keep warm, it's better than wool and it doesn't pill.

 

Bison yarn is naturally a chocolate brown color and is normally left that way and not dyed. It can hold a lot of moisture without feeling wet. This makes it ideal for cold weather clothing. Bison yarn also doesn’t contain lanolin like wool yarn does.

 

It's solid and is completely washable and won’t shrink or felt. Garments made of buffalo yarn are warm, soft, long wearing and very beautiful.