Dianne writes: <<It is usually the dander (mites when on the animal) that causes the allergy to flare to start -- then the reaction is usually from the belief it is the angora itself causing it and hard to reverse. >>
Like sheep's wool and human hair and nails, angora is just the protein keratin. You can't actually be allergic to the plain *fiber*, without being allergic to your own hair :) But there's lots of stuff that could be on the angora or wool or other protein fiber that a person can be allergic to instead of the fiber itself. Chemicals used in processing is a biggie, and parasites like mites, are pretty common. I used to raise angoras and had no trouble with my own angora fibers. Eventually all the bunnies died off and we decided to not get more (it's a *lot* of work, so appreciate the angora you buy! :). When I was still teaching, I had to buy angora for my classes. All of a sudden I found myself starting to cough and sniffle and sneeze when spinning some of the angora I bought, though no problems with that which I still had stored from my own animals. An allergic reaction to *something* in the fiber, but certainly not angora itself. FWIW, I store angora loosely in shoe-box-sized plastic boxes with hinged lids. I've had some really special angora waiting for 8 years to decide on a project good enough to use it for, and it's fine. Tissue paper (not kleenex-type tissues, as the fiber sticks to it) between layers works well if you're going to spin only from the lock and as smoothly and finely as possible. I generally just dump the fiber loosely in the box as I don't aim for smooth with angora yarn. Check to make sure, if you use any kind of plastic box, to see if there are ventilation holes, and cover them with tape if there are, to prevent clothes moths from finding a way in. They love angora much more than wool! Holly
