“Buffalo,” the name most Americans grew up using for bison, does not immediately evoke the image of soft, useful fiber. Yet the bison’s downy undercoat that grows each fall and sheds each spring is the finest truly American luxury fiber available. In fact, “Seriously Warm—Surprisingly Soft” is a tagline we use for our family’s bison products. The curious and excited look we get after handing someone a bison-down garment to touch seems to confirm this.
The down fiber produced by an adult bison has a fairly short staple length, typically about 1½ inches long, and measures 17 to 22 microns. An adult cow (female) bison will have roughly 1cto 3 pounds of down on her body when the fiber has fully matured, which is usually around the first of each year. The soft down grows close to her skin and is what will keep this 1,000-pound animal insulated and warm through the winter months.
Read more about Bison fiber at: https://spinoffmagazine.com/american-bison-modern-fiber-from-a-native-species/
