The History of Mohair

The Angora/Mohair goat was in existance in biblical times and valued for its fleeceas a luxury fibre even then. The best Mohair was fabled to come from the Ankara region of what is now known as Turkey.

These goats produce only fibre and are not milking goats. Their hair grows about an inch a month and they are sheared twice a year. The finest fibre comes from the kids, they are first sheared at six months and the first three clips are normally classified as kid fibre. This being the grade that attracts the premium prices.

Mohair is known as ‘ the diamond fibre’ for its strength and lustre. It is a hair not a wool.  Because it is a hair, it behaves as ones own hair does and keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer. These properties are particularily valuable for garments such as gentlemens suiting and for socks.

When used in sock manufacture the mohair produces an extremely hard wearing sock , the smooth mohair fibres allow the feet to breathe and do not allow bacteria toestablish, hence you can wear them for several days without them becoming unsavory.

Mohair washes beautifully, it is not as prone to shrinkage as wool and is very quick to dry.