Mohair is a fibre produced from the hair of the Angora goat. It has considerable strength and a shiny fibre surface, which gives it a unique lustre. The use of mohair in textile articles imparts these qualities to its products. It also has a good dye pick-up.
Mohair is extracted from the Angora goat fleece. It is made of keratin, a protein found in the hair, horns, and skin of all goats. Mohair’s unique properties are distinctive to the Angora goat. The mohair fibre has scales on the surface like wool, but these scales are ill-formed. Thus, it has a different hand feel than ordinary wool fabric. Mohair is one of the most admired natural fibres due to its softness and silk-like appearance. It is used to create various products ranging from high-end sweaters, jackets, and accessories to carpets and upholstery.
The age of the Angora goat plays the main role in deciding the end-use of the mohair fibre extracted from the goats. The diameter or thickness of the mohair fibre increases with the age of the goat. While thick or coarse fibres are used in carpets, drapery, upholstery, and outerwear, fine fibres are preferred for clothing items. Young goats are a source of fine fibre or fibre with a thin diameter. This fineness of the mohair fibre gives it the property of softness. The fabric made of mohair fibre from younger goats is soft and has a silky feel. The production process of mohair compared to the standard wool is different and costly, due to which mohair fibre is more expensive.
Mohair is one of the oldest fibres in existence which is evident from its use in clothing items in the high mountains of Tibet in ancient times. Angora goats are believed to live there originally. In the early 13th century, the Turkestan nomads arrived in Anatolia and brought this goat species. They settled in areas around Ankara which at that time was known as Angora. Hence this goat species breeding started in Turkey in the region of Ankara.
Later on, during the early 19th century, the Turkish sultan placed a ban on the exports, which halted the trade movement of the fur from these goats. The ban got lifted in the mid-19th century, and the Kurdish labourers and traders started the cross-breeding Angora goat with the local goat breeds to fulfil the fur shortfall. It hurt the quality and softness of the original Angora goat fibre.
These goats, having fine hair, were not suitable for the Central European climate as they were sensitive to moisture and cold. These goats got exported to South Africa in the 18th century. After some time, the Angora goats were sent to California as a gift from Turkey. There they were bred, and their population rose quickly. By the end of the 18th century, more than 100,000 goats were being farmed in the US.
During World War II, the US was anticipating a possible shortfall in the wool supply for the production of military uniforms. As a solution, mohair was mixed with other types of wool to overcome the supply glitch. The use of mohair in the US military would act as a stepping stone into the fashion world.
Although the Angora goats originate from the Tibetan plateau, they got their name Angora from Turkey, as Angora’s name comes from the Turkish province of Ankara. Mohair has its origin in Turkey because the word “mohair” originates from the Turkish word “muyha”. When it comes to fabric dyeing, mohair has a clear advantage over other natural fibres. It has a good dye pick-up property.
The majority of the world’s mohair production takes place in South Africa and the United States. Texas is the state with the highest production in the US. Nowadays, the goats are farmed in these developed countries to supply soft silk mohair fibre, which is used in apparel and garments around the globe. The goats are sheared twice a year for the mohair fibre, and the shearing starts once the goat is at least six months old.
The production of mohair wool has developed greatly over the years. The nomadic peoples of Tibet likely produced wool from these shaggy goats, and records show that this type of wool was produced in Turkey thousands of years ago. When mohair became well-liked in England in the early 19th century, this fabric’s production process became much more industrialised and extensive.
At the rise of the British Empire, mohair was in such great demand that production of this type of wool went out to South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. A small number of Angora goats were also sent to the United States military. Mohair fabric is still in production in the US to some degree.
The process of mohair fibre production starts with the hair removal or shearing of Angora goats. These goats grow hair very fast, which means that they are ready for shearing twice a year. The goats are held in a fixed position to avoid any harm during the shearing process. The hair is shaved with large sharp scissors in a manual process. Some farmers in developed countries use automatic scissors for higher production.
Animal rights organisations, such as PETA, have been criticising the shearing processes and calling them brutal. Farmers have been following different methods of shearing goats, which violate animal rights. In South Africa, there have been reported cases where the goats were treated brutally, and their fibre shearing resulted in serious injuries to the goats.
The animal rights bodies believe that poor farming and shearing practices are followed by some farmers to save some cost of production.
Once mohair is trimmed from Angora goats, it is washed to remove any impurities. Since the hair from this type of goat is constant in length, it is easy to card, which is the method by which chunks of this wool are made into fibre strands. These strands are then drafted into yarn, and in most cases, automated machines or spinners are used to twist and make yarns.
Mohair is included in several home items from upholstery fabric to carpets to drapery because it has a beautiful sheen and luxury look.
Mohair is often used to make fluffy, silky, and soft natural fabric that imitates those qualities in animal furs.
Mohair is a gorgeous, strong, and luxurious knitting yarn; knitters often use a mohair blend yarn, as the lustre and shine of mohair complement any clothes or accessory.
It should be noted that faux fur produced with mohair is not entirely fake, as mohair does come from a mammal’s coat. Mohair is available and traded in abundance around the globe, but the quality is maintained by a few only.
For mohair fabric following are the necessary measures to be taken for a long-lasting experience:
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