Felifilum
Felifilum (from Latin felis (cat) and fīlum (thread, fibre)) typically refers to shed Masuge fur and its derivative yarns and textiles. Technically speaking, it could also apply to Jhra'xarajh (being closely related species), though the texture and colors differ (and it's less common, as they don't shed nearly as much).
Properties
Material Characteristics
As previously mentioned, felifilum consists of shed Masuge fur.
Masuge have seasonal coats, so the color of the resulting felifilum is dependent on the season the shed fur is from: oranges, whites, and black in summer, and whites, greys, beiges, and black in the winter (the black is from an individual's stripe/rosette pattern, which overall stays consistent in the bulk of the fur, regardless of season). This particular mix of coloration means that felifilum yarn and fabric is naturally variegated, and any color separation would have to be done painstakingly during the carding process.
For an idea of what such yarn would look like, texture-wise it would resemble chatgora (wool made with cat fur), though different in coloration to the few pictures available online.
History & Usage
Everyday use
In Masuge communities, it is the predominant utilitarian fabric (i.e. used for essentially everything except clothing). Clothing in general is used more as a social signal than anything else, so the insulation of fur atop fur is unnecessary and potentially unpleasant (though it isn't uncommon to see felifilum belts with suspended pockets, or other smaller accessories). It is used for rugs, bags, blankets, upholstery and much more.
In other communities, exported clothing items made with felifilum (along with other cold-weather supplies like blankets, quilts and bed-rolls) tend to be the most popular and widely used. This is mostly due to the relative scarcity/expense (it's really only produced on the Northern Archipelago, and Masuge tend to be difficult to initiate trade with, especially when distance is a major factor), so less specialized needs are filled using more local materials.
Cultural Significance and Usage
It's effectively just a way to deal with the massive amount of shedding all Masuge do, considering their seasonal coats. The fur is collected and given to craftspeople who process it (clean it, brush the fibers), and either spin it into yarn or felt it.
The yarn, fabric, and other pieces are a major mundane export of the Masuge, considering the sheer amount that they shed and the relatively few good options for how to deal with that when one lives in a building. Masuge do tend to keep/use/have some of the more practical items (blankets, bags, etc; though it’s common practice to use ones own/ones close friends/family fur for things like blankets), but the clothing items are really not popular (since they really don’t need such warm garments, though most have one or two pieces they’ve accumulated somehow; and why wear fur over more fur). These goods are very popular wherever they’re in circulation, since they’re really, really warm and quite soft. The only big drawback is that they do not take to mundane dye particularly well.
Due to the pure abundance, it is customary for all children to learn at least one fiber craft (similar to how most children irl learn an instrument), though most never actually master any. It’s actually quite a difficult skillset for masuge due to their claws, and many dedicated craftspeople file their claws into rounded nubs to avoid damaging their work (in 'current' times, it’s more common to employ claw guards and only older/old-fashioned crafters continue to file).
Refinement
Like all natural fibers, it should be washed to remove any dirt or oils, and carded (brushed through with a stiff bristle brush in order to align the fibers into a web for further processing or use) before anything else.
After that initial preparation, it can then be spun into yarn, used for batting (for insulation or padding), felted, or any other method of utilizing fiber-- all of which can then be used to make items for use or trade.
Reusability & Recycling
It's just about as reusable as any other fiber. Technically it can be reclaimed from older garments or pieces (though it is predisposed to tangling, so that wouldn't be a particularly smooth process), and obviously reused in any way one could think to use a textile (e.g. stuffing for a pillow or toy, rags, repurposed fabric, etc).
When a piece has reached the end of its life, it's traditional to burn it, similar to Masuge funerary rites. This is partially due to some lingering spirituality around pieces of a person being used and discarded, and partially because it's flammable (and there's no sense in wasting material, nor in clogging up the environment with decaying textiles). Of course, this is not necessarily how all communities with access discard them, but it is how communities with strong ties to Masuge do it (e.g. rethi, oni, jhra'xarajh, etc).
Distribution
Trade & Market
Felifilum is one of the primary mundane exports of the Masuge, making up much of what they directly trade with their neighbors. External trade is a bit of a different beast, since most on the Northeast Archipelago do not use currency (while many, if not most, of the other communities on the continent do).
In Xianshèng's time, much of the external trade was handled through their mainland allies, while in the 'present' it is handled directly by those producing the goods (made easier by the adoption of currency that caught on in the interim).
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