Monday, November 5, 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.

This fiber belongs to the specialty group of animal fibers and it is classified as one of the oldest fibers that are known to man. The name mohair is derived from the Arabic word of Makhayar, Mukhaya, or Mukhayar. The Angora goat is usually single coated and its name is derived from the Turkish province of Ankara, also called Angora.

The Angora goat originated from the Tibet Highlands or the Asian Himalayas. From the mountains, it spread to the Turkey plains and most areas in the Middle East. The industry of mohair was born in Turkey and it became the first nation to supply mohair as a raw material. Later, South Africa became the first country to receive Angora goats that were shipped from Turkey.

A lot of uniqueness from other goat breeds is exhibited by the Angora goats. It has one coat although the fibers from the secondary and primary follicles appear to be similar. The Angora goat does not shed its fibers yearly as most breeds do. Instead, its fibers grow continuously all the year. Generally, the fiber is straight and long.

The natural color of the fiber is usually white. Some of the characteristics of the fiber include durability, resistance to soiling, resilience, soil shedding, smoothness, outstanding lustre, strength, abrasion resistance, comfort, setting, and moisture management. Pilling and felting do not occur commonly to this fiber and it has relatively low flammability as well. Although it is durable, it always undergo biodegradation when it is placed in the soil.

Applications for this material are very many. These include being utilized in production of upholstery, blankets, curtains, knitwear, furnishings and carpets. The fiber is ideal for making domestic textile due to the longevity and resilience it exhibits. Nevertheless, owing to its comparative coarseness, its utilization in apparel manufacture is limited. Being coarse renders the material not suitable for 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.

The fiber is usually classified depending on the age of the animal from which it is harvested. If the animals are at the age of six and twelve months, the fiber is referred to as kids fiber. When the goats attain the age of between 12 and 24 months, the fiber is called young goats fiber. Lastly, beyond 24 months, it is called adult fiber.




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