Usually, camels work only six months of the year. If too much is demanded of them, they will die from overexertion. Camels are an important source of food in the desert. People eat the meat of young camels, though it can be very tough. They melt fat from the animal's hump and use it for butter.
People drink camel's milk and also make cheese from it.
The camel also supplies wool and leather for clothing and shelter. Camel owners weave the animal's soft, woolly fur into fine cloth and warm blankets. The long fur of the Bactrian camel is especially good for weaving into cloth. Arabs use the cloth for much of their clothing and for tents. Camel's hair cloth is sold in many parts of the world for making blankets, coats, and suits.