Mohair facts for kids
Mohair is a special type of fabric or yarn. It comes from the soft, shiny hair of the Angora goat. Many people confuse it with Angora wool, which comes from rabbits, but they are different! Mohair is known for being strong and bouncy. It has a beautiful shine and takes dye very well, meaning it can be made into many bright colors.
This amazing fiber keeps you warm in winter because it's a great insulator. In summer, it helps you stay cool by wicking away moisture. Mohair is also tough, naturally stretchy, resists flames, and doesn't wrinkle easily. Because of these great qualities, it's considered a luxury fiber, like cashmere, alpaca, angora, and silk. It is usually more expensive than regular sheep's wool.
Mohair is mostly made of a protein called keratin. This protein is found in the hair, wool, horns, and skin of all mammals. However, Angora goats have unique keratin that gives mohair its special feel. Unlike regular wool, mohair scales are not fully developed, making it feel smoother. The fiber is about 25 to 45 micrometers wide. It gets thicker as the goat gets older. Softer, finer mohair from young goats is used for things like scarves. Thicker mohair from older goats is often used for carpets or heavy coats.
Sometimes, the word "mohair" is also used to describe the canvas material used for the folding roofs of convertible cars. This is a different kind of material, more like a strong denim.
Contents
All About Mohair
Getting Mohair from Angora Goats
Angora goats are shorn, or have their hair cut, twice a year. This usually happens in the spring and again in the fall. Each goat can produce about 11 to 17 pounds (5 to 8 kilograms) of mohair every year.
Shearing is done carefully on a clean floor. This helps keep the mohair clean and free from dirt or plant bits. After shearing, the hair is cleaned to remove natural oils, dirt, and any remaining plant material. Mohair grows in neat, uniform locks. Angora goats have a single coat of hair. This means there's no need to separate coarse hairs from softer ones, unlike with some other goat breeds.
South Africa has been a major producer of mohair. As of 2013, it supplied about half of the world's mohair. However, by 2024, some people believed that Lesotho had become the main producer. Due to concerns about animal welfare on some farms, several clothing brands, like Zara and H&M, have decided not to sell mohair products anymore. This shows how important it is for companies to source materials responsibly.
The Long History of Mohair
Mohair is one of the oldest textile fibers known! It was first produced only in Turkey. People in England knew about fabric made from mohair by the early 1700s. The word "mohair" came into English before 1570 from the Arabic word mukhayyar, which means a type of haircloth or "choice."
Around 1820, raw mohair started to be sent from Turkey to England. England then became a top maker of mohair products. Mills in Yorkshire, England, spun the yarn. This yarn was then sent to countries like Russia, Germany, and Austria, or woven into fabric right there in Yorkshire.
Until 1849, the Turkish province of Ankara was the only place where Angora goats were raised. It's thought that Charles V was the first to bring Angora goats to Europe. Because mohair was so popular, people started crossbreeding Angora goats with common goats in the 1800s.
The demand for mohair also led to Angora goats being introduced to other parts of the world. They arrived in South Africa in 1838, the United States in 1849, and Australia between 1856 and 1875. Later, they also came to New Zealand. In 1849, Angora goats were given to America as a gift from Turkey.
In the 1960s, a special fabric blend of mohair and wool became popular in England. It was called Tonik or Tonic and had a shiny, color-changing look. This fabric was a favorite among fashion groups like the rude boys and the mods. Similar suits were worn by mod revivalists, skinheads, and fans of ska punk and two tone music in the early to mid-1980s.
Today, South Africa is the largest mohair producer. Most of its mohair comes from the Eastern Cape region. The United States is the second-largest producer, mainly in Texas. Turkey also produces high-quality mohair. Because Turkish goats are shorn once a year, their mohair is often the longest in the world.
In 2009, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared it the International Year of Natural Fibres. This helped to highlight mohair and other natural fibers around the world.
What Mohair is Used For
Mohair is used in many different products! You can find it in soft scarves, warm winter hats, stylish suits, cozy sweaters, and comfortable coats. It's also used for socks and items for your home, like blankets.
Beyond clothing, mohair fiber is used in carpets, wall coverings, and craft yarns. It can even be used as a substitute for fur in some items. Because its texture is similar to fine human hair, mohair is often used to make high-quality wigs for dolls or for customizing dolls.
Compared to other natural and synthetic fibers, mohair yarn is very soft. It doesn't have many prominent scales on its surface like wool does. Because of this, mohair is often blended with wool or alpaca. The heavily scaled wool helps the smooth mohair fibers hold their shape and stick together when they are spun into yarn.
Mohair has other special qualities too. It's warmer than many other fibers, even in lightweight clothes. This is another reason it's often blended with wool. Mohair fibers also have a unique shine because of how they reflect light. This, combined with how well mohair absorbs dyes, means pure mohair yarns are known for their bright, rich colors.
Fibers from young goats are the softest. These are used to make yarn for clothing. Fibers from older, more mature goats are thicker and are used for things like rugs and carpets. Mohair is also used in 'climbing skins' for randonnée skiing and ski touring. These skins help skiers climb uphill without sliding backward.
Mohair Around the World
In 2009, the world produced about 5,000 tonnes of mohair each year. This was a decrease from the 1990s, when production was much higher, around 25,000 tonnes. South Africa produces about 60% of all mohair globally.
Most South African mohair is sent as raw fiber or partly processed to textile makers in Europe, the UK, and the Far East. In 2010, prices for mohair from adult goats went down, but prices for mohair from young goats stayed the same. China has become an important new market for mohair producers.
See also
