An introduction to Pygora Fiber

Pygoras were developed by Katharine Jorgensen of Oregon City, Oregon in the 1980s. How did she come to breed these cute, fuzzy, hardy little goats?

Katharine was a National Pygmy Goat Association Pygmy breeder and a 4-H Pygmy goat judge, and she loved fiber. Because she enjoyed spinning, knitting and weaving, it wasn’t surprising that on a trip through an Indian reservation in the southwest some longhaired colored goats wowed her. She decided she wanted to make colored mohair. “I thought: ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a goat that produced mohair the color of the blue-gray grizzle of Pygmy goats?’ I wanted to try and create a mohair-type goat and the traits that were best from both breeds” (Precious Fibers Magazine, Jan. 1986, p.14-15).

Pygora goats produce a luxurious, soft, fine fiber that is wonderful for hand spinning. It works well for warm garments that are soft against the skin and for delicate lace items. It also felts well. Pygora fiber comes in a range of natural colors, including white, black, browns, caramels and greys and is easily dyed. Pygora fleece remains very fine as the goat ages.

The only fiber that may be called Pygora® is that which comes from goats registered with the Pygora Breeders Association. All Pygora goats must conform to the Pygora Breed Standard that includes conforma¬tion, color/patterns and fleece characteristics.

Pygoras usually are sheared in the fall and spring, depending on the fleece and the weather. Check your Pygoras often, particularly the hindlegs and thighs, for signs that the fleece wants to mat. That is the time to shear if the weather allows. Many breeders shear before their does kid in late winter/early spring. 

Brush and/or gently blow out the goat’s fleece before harvesting to remove as much hay, seeds and debris as possible (too much air pressure can cause the fleece to felt). Pygoras may be shorn using household scissors such as Fiskars (spring-loaded work well) or electric shears/clippers with an appropriate comb. Cleanliness and the absence of second cuts are important. Having a goat stand to hold the goat during shearing is very helpful.

To pluck or comb a fleece, check your goats to determine when they first start shedding. Use a plastic hairbrush, pet grooming brush or cotton hand card to comb out the fleece. To hand pluck, gently pull the fleece from the goat; it should come off easily! Goats generally do not shed all at once so should be combed or plucked every few days. Experiment to see what works best for you.

Supplying freshly-shorn goats with good bedding and shelter is very important. Do not coat Pygora goats once their fleece starts to grow as the fleece will mat under the coats.

If the fleece on a Pygora goat is not harvested, it will mat on the goat. Type B and C goats will shed (blow) their fleeces in the spring if the fiber is not removed, however, the partially-shed fleece can make a goat more susceptible to external parasites. Also, once a fleece is blown, it is no longer usable.

The Pygora Breeders Association has carefully defined breed standards for the three Pygora fiber types:

Type A – this fleece averages 6 inches in length, is long, lustrous, has ringlets and should have very few guard hairs. The fiber is very fine, usually less than 28 microns, and feels silky, smooth and cool to the touch. Type-A goats usually are shorn twice a year.

Type B – this fleece is a strong, lustrous fiber that is curly and very soft and fine, testing below 24 microns on average. A type-B fleece averages 3-6 inches long, and may have two types of guard hairs: an obvious, stiff guard hair and a silky guard hair. It is the uniquely Pygora fleece – very versatile, warm to the touch and soft. Type-B goats usually are shorn twice a year. The fleece color usually is lighter than the guard hair color.

Type C – this fleece is a matte fiber with crimp and a very short staple length (usually 1-3 inches). It has a very obvious, coarse guard hair and is warm to the touch. Type C is the finest of the three fleece types, usually below 18.5 microns, and can be as soft as fine cashmere. There is good separation between the guard hair and fleece. A type-C coat can be harvested by brushing, plucking or shearing. The yield is small, but the effort is worth it. Type-C fleece is unbelievably soft. The fleece color is usually lighter than the guard hair color.

No fleece type is better than the others; they just have different characteristics. All three fleece types should be dehaired to enjoy the full softness of the fiber.

There are several steps to preparing Pygora® fleece for spinning: washing, dehairing and combing/carding. 

Washing

Pygora fiber can be spun washed or unwashed as there is little or no lanolin in the fleece. You can send the fleece to a fiber processor for washing or do it yourself. Wash the fiber gently in warm water with an appropriate fiber wash (such as Soak or Eucalan). The fleece can be contained in a lingerie bag during washing. Use warm water for both washing and rinsing, and do not agitate the fleece in the water. Rapid water temperature changes and agitation can cause the fiber to felt. 

Carefully press out the excess water (do not wring). Remove the fiber from the lingerie bags, and spread it onto a drying rack (a clean plastic screen laid flat makes a good drying rack). Fluff and turn the fiber occasionally until it is completely dry. 

Dehairing

A Pygora fleece consists of guard hairs that are discarded and the lovely, soft undercoat that is spun. To enjoy the full softness of the fiber, the guard hair must be removed (called dehairing). This is best done on a commercial dehairing machine. Choose a fiber mill that is experienced in working with Pygora fiber, and talk to the mill to make sure they do not ‘work’ the fleece too hard trying to remove all guard hairs as this can weaken the fiber. 

You can hand dehair your Pygora fiber using any of several methods, including mini combs, cotton cards or tweezers and a magnifying glass. However, this is a time-consuming process. If you want to hand dehair, do so before washing the fleece. 

Some type-A fleeces may have very few, soft guard hairs. You may decide not to dehair such a fleece. Consider carefully, however, as guard hairs prickle against the skin, take dye differently from ‘good’ fiber and could affect the twist of the yarn. Also, nondehaired Pygora yarn will shed guard hairs with use and bloom. 

Combing/Carding

If you send your fleece to a fiber mill, it will be returned in the form you choose (a ‘cloud’, roving, batt, etc.). If you decide to process a fleece yourself, use cotton cards with a fine cloth or mini combs to prepare your Pygora as desired. Pygora may be blended with a fine wool such as Merino to give it ‘memory’.

Break: A weak spot in the fiber. It can be caused by disease, illness, stress, or nutrition.

Crimp: How kinky or wavy the fiber is. Crimp describes the individual hairs, not the lock as a whole. A fiber can have crimp without being curly.

Dehairing: The process of removing guard hairs from fiber.

Finish: The very end of the lock or curl. Is the end curly or straight? Type “A” should be consistent throughout the lock, type “B” should have curl on the end of the lock, type “C” may have some curl on the ends.

Fulling: Process of soaking skeins in hot followed by cold water, then beating them against a clean surface to produce a “halo” effect, i.e., to make yarn soft and fluffy by bringing out the down fibers.

Guard hairs: The coarse body hairs that protect the fleece. If present in type “A”, they should not be obvious. In type “B”, there are 2 types, a very coarse, obvious one and one that is finer and less obvious. Type “C” must have only one type of guard hair that is very coarse and obvious.

Handle: The way the fiber feels (e.g., “A”: silky, smooth, cool; “B”: light, fluffy; “C”: creamy, warm). Fiber should not feel sticky.

Luster: The amount of shine in the fiber. Type “A” has a lot of luster, type “B” also has luster, and type “C” has none.

Matte: The lack of shine in the fiber. Type “C” has a matte finish.

Micron: Scientific and objective measurement of fineness. A unit of length equal to one thousandth of a millimeter. A low micron figure indicates a very fine fiber; a higher figure indicates a larger diameter or greater thickness.

Second cuts: Short, uneven bits of fiber found in a fleece caused by improper shearing. These are very undesirable in any shorn fleece.

Separation: The difference between guard hair and fiber. Type “C” should have excellent separation.

Skirting: Removing part of a fleece that is not top quality. Usually belly fiber and stained or coarse, brittle (“kempy”) areas are skirted.

Staple: Length of an individual lock.

Style: The amount of curl in a lock of fiber. Type “A” has ringlets. Type “B” has soft curls, and type “C” has little or no curls.

Yield: How much usable fiber comes from a harvest.