Astrakhan fabric is made to look like karakul (astrakhan, Persian) lamb fleece—with heavy, curly pile. The pile may be looped or cut. Any fiber may be used; lustrous wool is common.
Uses: Coats, hats
See also: Lamb-Sheep in the VFG Fur Resource
Fur-like fabric is of relatively recent origin—in 1929 using alpaca hair—but fake fur as we know it developed even more recently, in the mid 1950s. It is made in a range of styles to imitate various genuine furs. The pile, or “fur” is usually an acrylic blend, sometimes with genuine fur’s characteristic guardhairs and underhairs achieved by using coarser and finer fibers, the finer of which are shrunk in the finishing process. The backing is often cotton.
Shearling-like and Mongolian lamb-like fabrics can be achieved by heat tumble drying long pile fabrics, causing the fibers to tangle.
Uses: Coats, trims, toys, household rugs and mats
See also:
Astrakhan
