Qiviut (less commonly spelt qiviuq, and pronounced kiv-ee-yuk) is the wool of the musk ox. It is valued for its use as a fibre as, unlike sheep's wool, it does not shrink in water at any temperature. It is most commonly used for hats and scarves, and is among the softest wools. Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, AR Wool is the fiber derived from the hair of domesticated animals, usually sheep. ... Binomial name Ovibos moschatus (Zimmermann, 1780) The Musk ox (Ovibos moschatus) is a bovine noted for its thick coat and for the strong odor of the male. ... For the meaning of fiber in nutrition, see dietary fiber. ... Binomial name Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 A sheep is any of several woolly ruminant quadrupeds, but most commonly the Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries), which probably descends from the wild moufflon of south-central and south-west Asia. ...
The musk ox has a two-layered coat, and qiviut refers specifically to the soft wool beneath the longer outer wool. The musk ox sheds this layer of wool each spring. Spring is one of the four seasons of temperate zones. ...
The harshness and remoteness of the Arctic limits the amount of qiviut available and while small amounts are supplied by domesticated herds, limited worldwide supplies make it one of the most sought after and treasured of all natural luxury animal fibers.
Qiviut is soft to the touch and extraordinarily light with a single fiber of it so small that it's nearly invisble to the human eye.
Qiviut is eight to ten times warmer than wool, finer than cashmere and perfect for wearing next to the skin because of its ethereal softness.