100% YAK WOOL Hand Knitting Yarn, Canada: Pure Yak Wool, Yakmel, and Other Natural Blends

Last modified on
January 4, 2012

100% Yak Wool, Yakmel and Other Natural Blends

Yaks' habitat is the Himalayas (Nepal), China, and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. They are well adapted to the harsh mountains with their thick coats, great lung capacity, and ability to move skillfully over rough terrain. Yaks can easily tolerate temperatures of -40C. Even their blood cells are designed for high elevations.

There are both wild and domestic yaks. The Yak has been domesticated to plough fields and pull loads, because it is a sure-footed climber (at a weight of 2000 lbs!). When traveling on snow in single file, they carefully step on footprints left by the lead yak. Yaks are also used for their milk, fiber, and meat. Yak milk can be processed into cheese and butter. Butter is an ingredient in Tibetans' "butter tea" and is also used in lamps.

The yak fiber is very fine in diameter (between 15 and 17 mm) that place it in the same class of the luxury guanaco, vicuña and qiviut. Each yak produces about 100 g of down fibre per year. The yak fiber comes in a few natural colours: white (the most valuable), fawn, dark grey, and dark brown. The yak's down is harvested by combing or pulling the fibres during the spring moulting period. Yak's fiber is spun and woven into various, very soft and ultra warm fiber products. China (Qinhai, Sichuan and Gansu provinces) is the major producer of the commercialised down hair.

Note that yaks are great singers and love to make frequent, very vocal grunts.

" In terms of fiber, these endearing shaggy creatures that easily weight several hundred pounds produce roughly one pound of wooly undercoat a year called yak-kulu, meaning yak cashmere. In fact, when it is carefully processed it can be worn next to the skin. With growing concern about the environmental impact of cashmere goats, fashion designers are now looking to hit the catwalk with yak wool couture instead…" - Taming Tibet, Wild Fibers Magazine Winter 2010-2011 »

TIBETAN YAK by Makalu
FIBRE: 100% Pure Tibetan Yak
YARN WEIGHT: Sport 6 ply
TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 24 sts / 32 rows
NEEDLES: 3.5 - 4 mm (US No. 5-6)
LENGTH: approx. 300 m / 310 yds
HANK WEIGHT: 100g
* hand wash | made in China

YAKOO [75% Tibetan Yak, 25% Bamboo Viscose

YAKOO by Makalu
FIBRE: 75% Tibetan Yak, 25% Bamboo Viscose
YARN WEIGHT: Double Knit
TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 28 sts / 36 rows
NEEDLES: 3.5 mm (US No. 4-5)
LENGTH: approx. 162 m / 170 yds
HANK WEIGHT: 50g
* hand wash | made in China

YAKMEL by Makalu
FIBRE: 70% Tibetan Yak, 30% Baby Camel
YARN WEIGHT: Double Knit
TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 22 sts / 28 rows
NEEDLES: 4 mm (US No. 6)
LENGTH: approx. 125 m / 132 yds
HANK WEIGHT: 50g
* hand wash | made in China

Lang YAK [50% Yak Wool, 50% Merino extrafine

YAK by Lang
FIBRE: 50% Yak Wool, 50% Merino extra fine
YARN WEIGHT: Heavy Worsted
TENSION: 10x10cm (4"): 18 sts / 26 rows
NEEDLES: 4-4.5 mm (US No. 6-7)
LENGTH: approx. 130 m / 149 yds
BALL WEIGHT: 50g
* machine wash gentle | made in Italy