Sunday, November 11, 2018

The Uses Of Mohair Locks

By George Jones


The kind of hair that a special goat breed called the Angora goat produces is known as Mohair. Confusion between the Angora goats and Angora rabbits which produce the Angora wool is often experienced among many people. At times, the term The Diamond Fiber is used in reference to Mohair locks. This name is as a result of it being viewed as an item of luxury. It is held in high esteem and highly sought after by people.

Mohair fiber is grouped under a special category of animal fibers and it is categorized among the oldest fibers man knows. The origin of the term mohair is from the Arabic word of Mukhayar, Mukhaya, or Makhayar. Usually, the Angora goat has a single coat and its name originates from the province of Ankara which is also called Angora, Turkey.

The Angora goat has its origin in the Highlands of Tibet or the Asian Himalayas. From there, it spread to the plains of Turkey and many parts of the Middle East. In turkey, the mohair industry was born and Turkey became the first country to supply the fiber as a raw material. South Africa would later become the first recipient of Angora goats shipped from Turkey.

There is a lot of uniqueness in angora goats that is uncharacteristic in other goat breeds. Although Angora goats have one coat, fibers arising from secondary and primary follicles are the same. Unlike other goat breeds, Angora goats do not shed fibers on an annual basis. On the contrary, the fiber grows unceasingly all through the year. Generally, the fiber is straight and long.

Naturally, the fiber is usually white in color. Moisture management, setting, comfort, abrasion resistance strength, outstanding luster, smoothness, soil shedding, resilience, soiling resistance, and durability are some of the characteristics of this fiber. This fiber does not experience felting and peeling commonly and its flammability is also relatively low. Even though it is long-lasting, when placed in the soil, it usually goes through biodegradation.

The applications of this material are almost endless. Some of the notable applications it can be put to include making of blankets, upholstery, knitwear, suitings, carpets, curtains, and furnishings. It is very suitable for producing household textiles because of its resilience and durability. However, because it is relatively course, its application in making certain apparels is limited. Its coarseness makes it unsuitable for making close-to-the-skin clothing.

Currently, South Africa is the leading producer of mohair. South Africa is responsible for over 50 percent of all production in the world. The best fiber is produced by this country and its fiber is considered the best quality worldwide. The United States is the second leading producer. The state of Texas is the leading producer in the US. Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Lesotho, and Turkey are the other producers.

Usually, this fiber is grouped according to the age of the goat it was harvested from. The fiber is called kids fiber if harvested from an animal whose age is between 6 to 12 months. The name you goat fiber is used if the animal is between the age of 12 and 24 months. Finally, the fiber is called adult fiber if the animal is over 24 months of age.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment