Would you wear a cat hair sweater?
Filed under: Fashion, News, Best of the Season
A woman in Lakewood, Colorado gives new meaning to the phrase "cat lady." Suzanne Owens and her cat Smokey collaborated to create a cat hair sweater. Using Smokey's shed fur, Owens collected five pounds worth of cat hair in plastic bags. The loose fur was then sent to V.I.P. Fabrics in California for conversion into yarn. One of Owens' co-workers then knit the cat hair yarn into a dove grey cardigan sweater.Yuck! I don't know about you, but wearing a sweater made from cat fur really grosses me out. Aesthetic hesitations aside, as far as animal fur collection goes, the cat brush and plastic bag method seems to be about as humane as it could get. One can only hope that PETA approves of this use of animal fur.
Xan 3-10-2007 @ 8:50PM
The sweater is beautiful! Why would someone be grossed out by wearing this sweater but not one made from wool?
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Margaret 3-14-2007 @ 2:12PM
As a cat lover - what an excellent idea!
The sweater looks gorgeous.
There will be detractors - but no animal cruelty has happened and if PETA says there has - they can look for NO further donations from me!
Where on earth did the lady send the shed fur to to get it made into yarn?
What a precious way to recycle!
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Margaret 3-14-2007 @ 2:47PM
As a cat lover - what an excellent idea!
The sweater looks gorgeous.
There will be detractors - but no animal cruelty has happened and if PETA says there has - they can look for NO further donations from me!
Where on earth did the lady send the shed fur to to get it made into yarn?
What a precious way to recycle!
Reply
Margaret 3-14-2007 @ 2:11PM
As a cat lover - what an excellent idea!
The sweater looks gorgeous.
There will be detractors - but no animal cruelty has happened and if PETA says there has - they can look for NO further donations from me!
Where on earth did the lady send the shed fur to to get it made into yarn?
What a precious way to recycle!
Reply
gina 3-15-2007 @ 1:32PM
COOL CAT SWEATER...I LIKE THE IDEA..2 BAD I AM ALLERGIC.
GINA
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lois 3-14-2007 @ 2:20PM
What a wonderful way to keep your cats with you forever.
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sarah 3-14-2007 @ 2:19PM
Wow! i was too slow. I've been telling my friend for years we should do this. Her one cat sheds soooo much. I think it's great,
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Jerry 3-14-2007 @ 2:31PM
Well I am hoping the next natural progression is catskin for gloves, coats etc. It will give some value to all the cats that people let roam the streets.
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Jeannie 3-14-2007 @ 6:27PM
I have five cats and could get enough fur in ONE YEAR!!
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nancy 3-14-2007 @ 2:35PM
You people have GOT to be kidding! I have 3 cats. They wash themselves with their tongues all the time. Their salvia stays on the fur. I for one would never wear a sweater made of my cats hair. I can only hope all of you were joking!
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debbie 3-14-2007 @ 2:43PM
Wow.....I've missed the boat all these years! With 5 cats in the house I think I could be makin' a sweater a day! (besides, everywhere I go I feel I am covered in cat hair anyways). I would be happy to send anyone who wanted to try it, more cat hair!
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Lettie 3-14-2007 @ 3:00PM
Oh, I couldn't be in the same room with the sweater wearer as I am allergic. Lettie
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Ree 3-14-2007 @ 3:52PM
I have a friend who used the fur of her dog -it was a fluffy white samoyed - and made a beautiful blanket from it. It was very soft and warm - like an angorian blanket! I've always wondered if I could make a blanket from my Blue Persian's fur, it would be like gray Angoria! Now I know how to turn it into yarn, I'll do it!
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nancy too 3-14-2007 @ 3:12PM
It's very simple to spin fibers into yarn. It can be done with a potato and a dowell. Although I don't believe every type of cat fur can be spun into a quality yarn. Short fur for instance. Nancy...have you never heard of washing a garment?
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Elissa 3-14-2007 @ 2:50PM
I am a tremendous animal lover and as long as the animal is not harmed in the making of the sweater, then I think it is just fine.
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Lettie 3-14-2007 @ 2:58PM
Couln't stand it. The smell----cats! Yuk! Lettie
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Anne 3-14-2007 @ 3:04PM
I have several house cats so most of my clothing looks like it's made from cat hair already :) However, I have often joked about recycling my cats fur after I groom them. I think this is a wonderful and a very special keepsake.
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Bobbie 3-14-2007 @ 3:07PM
i think its a great idea! as far as the saliva and the "smell" im sure that the raw yarn or finished sweater could be washed/dry cleaned in some manner. i own a beautiful long haired gray cat (ashiecat - lol) and would love to keep her memory this way... and to think that ive been throwing her brushed out fur away for soo long - lol
Please, if anyone knows details on where to send the fur let me know.
Thanks
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shirley chaplin 3-14-2007 @ 3:15PM
This is a good idea, but not necessary a new one. I have been knitting for years and about 30 years ago I knew of a woman who kept all her poodles clippings and spun this into yarn. Made a beautiful sweater. Of course you have to wash and sterilise the product first.
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Chris 3-14-2007 @ 3:15PM
Funny! Having cats - Great Idea. Thought of it before, just did not know how to convert the fur. People - you can WASH the sweater after it is made! The allergic component is their dander. That can be removed. My only concern is that this is always done in a humane nature. Always.
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