Monday, November 5, 2018

The Uses Of Mohair Locks

By George Jones


Mohair is a type of fiber that is produced by a special breed of goat referred to as the Angora goat. It is important not to confuse Angora goats with Angora rabbits, which produce Angora wool. Mohair locks are at times referred to by the name The Diamond Fiber. This name comes from the luxury category that it belongs. Many people hold it in high esteem and it is highly sought by many.

Mohair fiber falls under animal fibers and is categorized as among the earliest fibers to be used by man. The label mohair is a derivative of Mukhayar, Makhayar or Mukhaya, an Arabic word. The phrase Angora goat originated from Ankara or Angora, which is a province in Turkey.

The root of Angora goats is the Asian Himalayas or Highlands of Tibet. The goat then spread to the Middle East parts and the Turkish plains. The industry of mohair was realized in Turkey. Consequentially, Turkey became the fast nation to distribute the fiber in the form of raw material. Later on, South Africa turned became the earliest receiver of goats shipped from Turkey.

The Angora goats exhibit a lot of uniqueness from other breeds of goats. It has a single coat, but the fibers from the primary and secondary follicles seem to have no difference at all. The breed does not shed its fibers annually like most other breeds. Instead, the fibers grow continuously throughout the year. The fiber is generally long and straight.

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.

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.

At the moment, the largest producer of mohair fiber is South Africa. South Africa accounts for more than 50 percent of the global production of this product. Fiber produced in this country is the finest and is regarded as the best quality all over the world. The second largest producer is the United States. In the US, the state of Texas is the largest producer. Other producers include Turkey, Lesotho, Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina.

Normally, fiber is categorized with respect to how old the animal from which it was harvested. The fiber obtained from goats ranging from six to twelve months of age is normally called kids fiber. Young goat fiber is obtained from goats of 12 to 24 months of age. In conclusion, goats that have an age that exceeds 24 months yield adult fiber.




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