Qiviut and the Musk Ox

Qiviut is the inner down of the Arctic Musk Ox. A survivor of the Pleistocene era of the Ice Age, this 400-800 pound animal’s ability to survive the harsh winters of the Arctic is due to the thickness of this undercoat. Its fibers have always been gathered and used by the indigenous Inuit of the Arctic, but its exquisite value is being newly discovered by the luxurious garment industry.

Qiviut (or alternately called qiviuk, kiviuk, qiviute, along with other variants) is eight times warmer than wool and softer than cashmere, selling for three times its price. Its cloud-like softness makes it the softest and most expensive fiber in the world. In addition, it doesn’t shrink, shed, or felt when washed, even when boiled for dying, and in its natural form is hypoallergenic.

Because of the limited herds of Musk Ox in northern regions such as Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Norway, and a few in Russia, the fiber is extremely rare. It is also limited by the process by which it is obtained. Although not easily domesticated, the Musk Ox is being farmed in a few places, but they generally are nomadic animals that travel about a mile per day in herds of two or three dozen. They shed their undercoat once a year in the warm weather, and in the wild, this shed undercoat, often shedding in sheets, is gathered by hand for processing. On a farm, the Musk Ox can be put through a stall during shedding season where the fiber is combed out by hand.  In either case, the process is labor intensive. Each animal yields about 5- 6 pounds of fiber a year.

Although most people liken the shaggy Musk Ox to the American Bison, it is really part of the goat family. Compared to the bison’s height of six or more feet at the shoulders and a weight of 900-2,000 pounds, the Musk Ox stands approximately five feet at the shoulder and weighs between 400-800 pounds. Although still formidable, it is smaller than a cow and stands about chest-high on a man.

The rare qiviut fiber is worked by only a few exclusive designers in the world. The Jacques Cartier Clothier with its Qiviuk Boutique in Banff, Alberta, is the owner of the MuskOx Woolie you see above. See the fabulous products they have in their shop and read more of the story of the qiviut fiber at their website www.qiviuk.com .