Mohair fabric is a very soft and silky fabric, which is also called diamond fiber because of its high luster. Although mohair fabric had many fans during the past centuries, its popularity decreased significantly since two decades ago due to some reasons. For a complete explanation, we have devoted this article to the review of mohair fabric.
What is mohair fabric?
Mohair is one of the oldest textile fibers produced from the wool of the Angora goat. Angora goat is also a type of horned goat with white and shiny wool. The diameter of mohair fibers is approximately 25 to 42 microns. Of course, we must keep in mind that in general, this diameter depends on the age of the Angora goat; For example, if the Angora goat is old, its fiber diameter will also increase.
Tip: If you ever see the word angora on your clothing fabric, never mistake it for mohair fabric. Because angora wool is another different fabric that is produced from the wool fibers of rabbits.
What is the history of mohair fabric?
Some sources claim that the production of mohair fabric began in the 8th century and is related to England. But on the other hand, some other sources do not accept this claim and believe that Angora goats were in the city of Ankara, Turkey since the 16th century. Also, at that time the name of the city of Ankara was Angora; Hence the name of goats is Angora. After two centuries, in the 18th century, due to the increasing demand of people to buy mohair cloth, the producers sent a number of goats to South Africa first, and then to America, Australia and New Zealand.
In a more detailed review, we should say that Angora goats were bred in Turkey for centuries; But when the popularity of mohair fabric reached its peak, the fame of the fabric spread widely throughout Europe, Asia and even the Middle East. With the beginning of the 19th century, the production of mohair fabric started again in England in an industrial and extensive way. As far back as the height of the British Empire, mohair became very popular and in a short time it became a popular fabric around the world. This popularity continued from that time until the early 1990s, until some animal rights organizations became sensitive to the way this fabric was produced and began their research in this field, which we will discuss further.
In which countries is mohair fabric produced?
Today, the largest mohair distributor in the world is South Africa. Next are Argentina, Turkey, the United States, and finally Australia and New Zealand. Although today, a large amount of this wool is exported in raw or semi-processed form to other countries in Europe and Asia, however, in general, the production of mohair wool is decreasing.
What are the production steps of mohair fabric?
An Angora goat typically produces 5 to 8 kilos of wool, which is somehow a result of increased hair growth. According to this case, the production steps of mohair fabric from these wools are as follows:
1. At first, the workers completely cut the wool from the goats with large shears. But in order for the production process to be carried out in accordance with ethical principles, they must ensure that the animal does not move so that it does not harm them.
2. Then the producers wash the obtained wool well to remove any dirt and pollution.
3. Since these wools are curly or wrinkled, they are placed between the wire teeth of knitting machines to be straightened.
4. Passing through the rollers, they are placed in a flat position for combing.
5. As a result of this combing, networks of thin fibers are formed which are different in terms of length. Therefore, after completing this step, all the strands of fibers will be uniform.
6. In the final stage, a thread wraps around these fibers and creates the main texture of the mohair fabric during the weaving process.
What are the different types of mohair fabric?
Although mohair wool is harvested only from Angora goats, it has two different types: first; fibers obtained from young goats and second; Fibers obtained from old goats.
The younger the Angora goat, the finer the fibers it produces. Therefore, the fibers of younger goats, which are goats, are more popular than the fibers of older goats, and for this reason, most woolen jackets or other luxury clothes are produced from the fibers of these goats. Also, as Angora goats age, their hair is thicker and coarser, which eventually causes the quality of the obtained fibers to decrease. Also, these wools are mostly used in home products such as carpets or other cases.
What are the features and benefits of using mohair fabric?
1. Mohair clothes are highly resistant to wrinkles and elasticity.
2. They are very light and soft when touched by hand or directly on the skin.
3. Since mohair fabric is insulated against the cold, it keeps us warm in winter.
4. The shine of mohair is very high.
5. In combination with colors during the dyeing stage, this fabric not only does not lose its shine, but also maintains its silky appearance and retains light well.
Note: We must keep in mind that it is not very easy to find a dress that is made of pure mohair fabric. This is because mohair fabric becomes more balanced when combined with other fibers. For example, about 17% of mohair wool is combined with merino wool so that the final fabric shows softness and shine.
What are the uses of mohair fabric?
Mohair fabric can be used for various applications due to its unique features. For example, this fabric is used in various types of clothing, as well as in home decoration such as furniture and other general textiles.
Like other types of wool, although mohair is also a very popular fabric, it is very suitable for sewing coats or other winter insulating clothing, but it is not limited to this. For example, in the 1960s, a particular type of suit was designed with mohair wool, which became very popular in Britain and quickly spread to American musicians and then around the world. This is because the two-tone mohair suits showed different colors when placed at different angles of light.
As we said, mohair fabric is not only used in clothing. Mohair is also used to weave carpets, produce threads used in handicrafts, doll wigs and wall hangings. As another example, in the 1970s, mohair wool was also used to weave carpets. Of course, mohair wool is still used in the weaving of some carpets today, but it is not as popular among people as it used to be.
How does the production of mohair wool affect the environment?
Like other fibers obtained from animal wool, mohair does not have a significant negative impact on the environment because it is a natural fiber; Unlike synthetic textiles, in the production of mohair, no carcinogenic chemicals are used that disrupt hormone secretion or harm the organs.
Note: some harmful chemicals may enter the environment during the dyeing stage of mohair fabric; But the main concern in the production of this fabric is not its environmental effects, but the effects of the production process on animals.
What are the effects of mohair fabric production on Angora goats?
Although mohair fabric is a beautiful and valuable fabric, we must keep in mind that like most fabrics made from animal wool, the production of this fabric is often associated with suffering and even killing animals. Therefore, in the 1990s, some organizations, such as Peta (People’s Foundation for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), began to raise awareness about how this is produced. After doing some preliminary research, he came to the conclusion that many people are producing this fabric through unethical practices.
Also, Peta also mentioned the important point that wool production method is different in different farms and not all farms produce unethically. But on the other hand, another important result of their research was that the workers of some farms in South Africa were arrested while they were violently dealing with their goats while shearing the wool. This is despite the fact that there is no compulsion to harm animals in the fabric production process. But unfortunately, the employees of some farms, in order to save money, produce mohair fabric by seriously harming the animals.
Important events after PETA organization’s actions
After this issue became news, the amount of mohair production, which was close to 25 thousand tons per year in the early 1990s, decreased to 5 thousand tons per year in 2009. Also, some clothing brands such as Gap, H&M and Lacoste have defended animal rights by refusing to market products made with mohair wool. But finally, as we said, although it is possible to produce this fabric sustainably and without cruelty to animals, the idea that was created in people’s minds about the unethical production of this fabric, led to the fact that at the same time as production decreased, sales Mohair fabric is also greatly reduced.
What is the price of mohair fabric?
Although mohair fabric is one of the most expensive types of wool. However, its price is mostly fixed. Because both production and demand from customers have decreased significantly. According to a mohair wool manufacturing company in Pennsylvania, this wool is sold at a price of about 10,000 dollars per 500 grams. Meanwhile, sheep’s wool is sold at around 50 dollars per kilogram.
What are the ways to care for mohair fabric?
Before examining each item, we must say that if you take good care of your mohair clothes, you can use them for several years. But the points that we want to present below are important recommendations for taking care of mohair clothes and clothes that will help you.
The first offer; Buy from reputable brands
If you have bought your mohair clothes from a particular brand, it is better to consult with the sellers of that brand first about the care measures of the fabric. Because every mohair product has special ingredients that the manufacturer knows about.
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The second proposal; Wash by hand
If possible, try to hand wash mohair clothes yourself. Because fine mohair fibers are used in sewing clothes, the washing machine may damage your fabric. Be sure to use a mild detergent. Also, to prevent the fabric from stretching, it is better to lay your mohair clothes flat on a surface to dry.
The third proposal; Washing with a washing machine
If you don’t have time and prefer to wash your mohair jacket in the washing machine, make sure your detergent is mild. Also, if the washing machine has the “Delicate” option, be sure to make the settings on this option. Otherwise, just adjust the temperature and speed.
How to dry mohair clothes?
After finishing washing, it is better to wring the fabric slowly so that the extra water falls off. Then put the clothes on a towel in a shady place. Note that your mohair dress should not be in direct contact with the sun; Because UV rays can weaken the fibers of your clothes.
Also, try not to use an iron or other similar electrical appliances to dry your mohair clothes; Because the heavy weight of the wet fabric causes the clothes fibers to stretch and eventually weaken when ironing. You can only use the iron when you set it to steam mode so that it removes slight wrinkles on the surface of the fabric and dries the clothes without tension.
What are the care methods for other mohair wool items?
The velvety state of the mohair fabric on the sofa does not normally absorb much dirt due to its anti-static property. Even if you brush it every few days, your fabric will maintain its beauty. But you should note that stains like juice and coffee should be cleaned immediately with a mild cleaner.
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last word
In this article, we tried to examine mohair fabric and all its dimensions. Checking the mohair fabric is more important because you get the necessary knowledge about the production process of this fabric and in order to prevent damage to the environment or animals, buy your mohair clothes from brands that have a sign of trust. And in the production process, they do not harm animals. Because the unethical production of this fabric is so heartbreaking that it was not possible for us to fully investigate it. Apart from this, if you are interested in mohair fabric and related items, share your thoughts about this article with us.
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