It’s Fur-real! You can ‘knit’ your Dog!



From the DogWood Series, by Erwan Fichou,

Devoted dog owners know from cuddling their animals, just how soft and warm dog fur is.

But some dog owners have taken this appreciation for their pet’s fur coat further, by actually collecting their pet’s moulted hair, spinning it and then knitting it up into sweaters.

The ancient art of dog spinning, known as 'Chiengora', has been around for thousands of years.

But if you aren’t handy with a spinning wheel and knitting needles yourself, then there are several companies that will turn your beloved pet’s cast off fur into garments.

For instance Knit Your Dog makes custom sweaters, gloves, scarves, ponchos, baby booties, and more from the fur of man's best friend.

Founder Jeannie Sanke, favourite saying about the process is that, the 'shed happens, but it can be a beautiful thing' - specifically in the form of warm winter accessories. 

Although she admits not every breed of dog is suitable for this, and says it works best with long haired breeds, such as Border Collies, Golden Retrievers, and Chow Chows.

Keen to get rid of ‘doggie odour’ she washes the creations several times during the process

As a result of her dedication and hard work to canine cast offs, Jeannie runs a successful Etsy shop, selling dog fur items such as cardigans, sweater cuffs and even a bookmark. 

Well known French photographer, Erwan Fichou, has also been inspired by this increasing trend for knitting with dog fur, and has put together a collection known as the 'Dogwood Series'

This features dog owners wearing dog fur sweaters and posing with their dog that provided the raw material. 

There are even a few wacky books for sale on Amazon, that offer expert guidance on the subject, such as 'Knitting with Dog Hair: Better a sweater from a dog you know and love than a sheep you'll never meet'.

Quite!

What do you think? Would you wear the fur of your dog?

Leave a comment below.