Mohair Fiber

Mohair Fiber
Introduction:
• It is an animal fiber. Mohair is a fabric or yarn

made from the hair of the Angora goat (not
to be confused with the Angora rabbit, which
produces Angora wool).
• Both durable and resilient, mohair is notable
for its high luster and sheen and is often used
in fiber blends to add these qualities to a
textile.
• It feels warm in winter as it has excellent
insulating properties, while its moisture-
wicking properties allow it to remain cool in
summer. It is durable, naturally elastic, flame
resistant and creaseresistant. It is considered
a luxury fiber, like cashmere, angora, and silk,
and can be more expensive than most
sheep's wool.
• Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a

protein found in the hair, wool, horns and
skin of all mammals, but mohair's special
properties are unique to the Angora goat.
History of Mohair Fiber:
• Mohair is one of the oldest textile fibers in use. The Angora goat is thought
to originate from the mountains of Tibet, reaching Turkey in the 16th
century. However, fabric made of mohair was known in England as early as
the 8th century. The word "mohair" was adopted into English sometime
before 1570 from the Arabic: mukhayyar, a type of haircloth, literally
"choice", from khayyara, "he chose".
• Today, South Africa is the largest mohair
producer in the world, with most of the South
African mohair being produced in the Eastern
Cape. The United States is the second-largest
producer, with most of the American mohair
being produced in Texas. Turkey also
produces good-quality mohair. Because the
goats are sheared once a year (different from
South Africa), Turkey produces the longest
mohair of the world.
• In December 2006, the General Assembly of
the United Nations proclaimed 2009 to be the
International Year of Natural Fibers, so as to
raise the profile of mohair and other natural
fibers.
Structure of Mohair fiber
• Mohair fiber, like wool, is composed chiefly of the protein substance keratin.
Fiber structure is like that of wool, although the outer layer, or epidermis,
has about half the number of scales found in fine wools. Because the scales
lie almost flat, with little overlapping, the fiber surface is smooth.
• The cortex portion, striated throughout its length, often contains air-filled
pockets, and less than 1 percent of the fibers have a central canal, or
medulla.
1. Raw Mohair
2. Scouring
3. Dyeing
Production 4. Carding
and 5. Combing (Worsted System Only)
processing 6. Drawing (Worsted System Only)
of Mohair 7. Spinning
8. Weaving
9. Finishing
Raw Mohair:
•Mohair is shorn from the Angora goat twice

a year. The shearers use power driven
clippers like those used by barbers and
remove the fleece with long smooth strokes.
It is then rolled separately, classified, and
packed into bags holding about 70 fleeces
and weighing approximately 400 pounds
when full.
Scouring:
•Mohair is scoured by moving it
gently by rakes through a series of
tubs containing a soap and water
solution. It is then rinsed. During
the scouring process mohair loses
about 20% percent of its weight
when natural grease (lanolin) and
soil are removed. After scouring,
the mohair is passed through a
series of squeeze rollers and
finally dried. The purified lanolin
by-product is used in face creams,
soaps, and ointments.
Dyeing:
•Mohair can be dyed at several
stages in the processing. If dyed
after scouring, it is called stock
dyed mohair; if dyed after
spinning, it is referred to as yarn
dyed; or if dyed after weaving or
knitting, it is called piece dyed.
Mohair fabric can also be
printed by screen or roller
methods. Because mohair is a
protein fiber, color tints are
absorbed into its core to give
rich and lasting hues
Carding:
•Carding blends the various types

of mohair fibers, removes
vegetable matter, and straightens
the fibers so they will lie in the
same direction. This is done by
passing the mohair through a
system of rollers covered with wire
teeth that form the fibers into a
thin web. If the fiber is to be spun
on the woolen system, the web at
this point is gathered into narrow
strips that are joined to form the
roving or silver.
Combing:
•If the fiber is to be spun on the
worsted system, the mohair
card silver is then combed to
remove the short fibers (nails)
and to further straighten the
long fibers for production of fine
yarns that are smoother than
woolen systems yarns. The
result is a thick strand call “top”.
Drawing:
• In the worsted system, after
combing, the number of
fibers in the top is reduced
by a series of processes
called drawing. The drawing
silver is taken directly to the
spinning frame where the
roving is twisted to produce
yarn.
Spinning:
• The spinning process, which follow
either carding (step 4) or drawing (step
6), is the twisting of the silver into
singles yarn. When two or more of these
yarns are twisted together, they form ply
yarns, which are stronger than singles.
Yarns vary in size, twist, ply, and novelty
effects and are a part of the plan of
fabric designing. After spinning, the yarn
may be either knitted or woven.
Weaving:
• Woven fabrics are made on looms by
interlacing at least two sets of yarn,
either woolen or worsted, at right angles
to each other. The lengthwise yarn is the
warp. Threads running crosswise in the
loom are called weft or filling. As warp
thread passes through the loom, it is
raised and lowered by a wire eyelet
through which it is threaded. Filling
thread is passed through the openings
created in the warp to form the woven
fabric.
Finishing:
•As the fabric comes from the loom, it is inspected

for defects. The fabric can then be napped by a metal
brushing process or sheared to give a smooth
uniform appearance. Various chemical finishes can
be applied to obtain such advantages as
mothproofing, stain resistance, and washability.
Properties
• Insulating: Mohair's hollow fibers do not conduct heat like wool and provides good insulation,
even when wet.
• Durability: Mohair can be twisted and bent without damage to the fiber; it is the most durable
of animal fibers.
• Comfort: Mohair does not irritate the skin, even for people who are sensitive to wool.
• Strength: Mohair is stronger than steel of the same diameter.
• Shrink resistance: Mohair fabrics shrink much less than wool because mohair's smooth fibers
do not feel.
• Elasticity: Mohair is very elastic; it can be stretched up to 30% and will spring back to shape;
mohair garments resist wrinkling, stretching, or sagging.
• Moisture transfer: Mohair easily absorbs and releases moisture, moving perspiration away
from the skin. It is comfortable to wear in cold and hot weather.
• Luster: One of mohair's most important qualities is its ability to take dye and to display brilliant
colors that resist fading by time or hardware.
• Light weight: Mohair's smooth fibers can be made into fabrics that have a cooling effect. Our
mohair blankets weigh only 700gr. Sweater can be made from 150gr.
• Non-flammability: Mohair will not burn unless it is exposed to a direct flame.
• Easy to Wash: Mohair is easy to wash because it does not feel or shrink like wool. In normal
circumstances the most regularly required care will be brushing the pile (the fluff) with a stiff
hairbrush. Depending on how you use it your blanket will require washing periodically. This too
is very simple. Handwash in tepid water with a small amount of detergent or soap powder. Do
not rub or agitate unduly, if possible, let the dirt soak out. Drain, and then rinse in clean cold
water. Rinse a second time in tepid water and add a small amount of fabric softener for
superior results, drain and hang up to dry (because mohair has a different structure to wool,
you will find it dries quite quickly) followed by a brisk brush to fluff it up.
Advantage
Soft and Plush
Long-Lasting
Luxurious
Comfortable
Unique
Easier to dye.
Light absorbing
Non-flammable
Absorbs moisture.
Resistant to creases
Disadvantage
Expensive
Fuzzy yarn that tends to shed
Skin irritation
Stronger dry than wet

End Uses
Jumper Scarf Coat Sock
Suit Carpet Wall Fabric Winter Hat
High Grade Home

Rug Craft yarn
Doll Wigs Furnishing

Mohair Fiber

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Mohair Fiber

• It is an animal fiber. Mohair is a fabric or yarn

• Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a

•Mohair is shorn from the Angora goat twice

•Carding blends the various types

•As the fabric comes from the loom, it is inspected

Fuzzy yarn that tends to shed

Stronger dry than wet

Jumper Scarf Coat Sock

Suit Carpet Wall Fabric Winter Hat

High Grade Home

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