China : One Zhejiang long-haired rabbit ‘knits’ 18 sweaters per year

The development of Zhejiang quality and high-yield variety of rabbits has obtained its own intellectual property rights.

It is incredible to imagine that a small rabbit could produce 1,800 grams hair per year, more than two times more than that of conventional rabbit. The highest record could reach 4790 grams, breaking the world record of the annual hair output of long-haired rabbit. Therefore, if one sweater consumes around 250 grams hair, the annual hair output of one long-haired rabbit could make 18 sweaters at maximum.

These long-haired rabbits are named ‘White King’. They are bred by Shengzhou city’s livestock products company, with help of Zhejiang University. Recently the provincial animal and fowl committee approved the rabbit as a new variety of animal species.

Experts said it means the quality and high-yield long-haired rabbits bred by Zhejiang have acquired independent intellectual property right, it would lay a foundation for the new variety to spread in China and even to the world.

Rabbit hair is praised as the second golden fiber after cashmere in the world, breeding long-haired rabbits is a way for over 100 thousands of farmers in Zhejiang to increase their income.

Long-haired ‘White King’ rabbits are large sized, with hair as long as one’s thumb, both delicate and thick and feels much like cotton upon touching.
Price of one kilogram hair from White King rabbits is 10 yuan higher than market price.

Morethan 3,000 local farmers raise ‘White King’ rabbits in Shengzhou. They could earn an extra income of 30 million yuan per year.

 
Fibre2fashion, News Desk - China