In New Zealand goats are bred for meat, milk, and fibre. Angora goats in New Zealand produce around 50 tonnes of mohair fibre a year.

There is still a strong demand for mohair.

And John Woodward, of Mohair Craft, should know. He  handles about half of those 50 tonnes each year. About 10 per cent is processed into yarns, blankets, and garments for his  Mohair Craft chain of stores and the rest is sent overseas. “It all goes through South Africa for first stage processing then on to Japan, France, and other countries,” John told Rural Living recently. Angora goats are shorn twice a year with a 2.5 kilo per fleece yield.

From there, the mohair is then hand classed into different thickness grades: superfine kid (23-25 micron), kid (26-28 micron), young goat (29-31 micron), and adult (32-34 micron).  The lower the micron the thinner and therefore softer the fibre.

“Best kid fibre is getting about $36 per kilo.”

Mohair is considered a luxury fibre because of its high adaptability to processing combined with several qualities considered superior by experts.

Lustre/sheen: Mohair has a natural lustre and takes dye exceptionally well leading to longer lasting vibrant colours.

Warmth: Mohair is a great insulator even when wet and doesn’t conduct heat the same way as wool which ensures its excellent warming qualities.

Durability: Mohair is non-crushing, non-

matting, non-pilling fibre and is considered the most durable natural fibre in the world.

Comfort: Kid mohair is soft against the skin, adding to its reputation for being luxurious.

Lightweight: A very lightweight fibre, mohair breathes well allowing for lighter more practical clothing and blankets.

Now Warehouse Representative for the Federated Farmers Goats Board, John realised the potential of goat farming early on, and knowing the quality of the fibre they produced he made the move into full-time goat farming and fibre classification with his wife Anne at his side.

“I’ve been in the industry since 1978 – and there is still a stable strong demand.”