Fibre Information

Mohair | Alpaca | Possum/Merino

Mohair

Mohair is the long, silky hair of the Angora goat and is one of the most versatile textile fibres. Its characteristics are similar to wool, except that it does not have the scales that can irritate the skin. Mohair has several unique properties that are not found in any other animal fibre:

• Warmth without weight – Mohair provides a wonderful natural insulator; it doesn’t conduct heat and so keeps you super warm even when wet. It’s also lightweight so it’s goodbye to those old heavy woollen blankets
• Durability – Mohair is the most durable animal fibre, so your Mohair throw will last for years!
• Lustre – Mohair loves dyes and so your coloured throw will resist fading from time or hard wear
• Comfort – The smooth fibres of mohair do not irritate the skin, which is great news for those people with sensitive skin
• Strength – Mohair is stronger than steel of the same diameter … WOW!
• Shrink resistance – Because the smooth fibres do not felt, mohair fabrics shrink much less than wool
• Elasticity – This makes your Mohair product resistant to wrinkling, stretching, or sagging
• Non-flammability – Mohair will not burn unless it is exposed to a direct flame

Mohair Care Instructions

Mohair is a natural, luxurious fibre that dries well and resists shrinking. Unlike wool, mohair has no scales. A vigorous shake will dislodge most dirt particles. If you do need to wash your throw then you can either follow these handwashing instructions or take your mohair product to your local reputable drycleaner.

• Soak in tepid water using mild detergent recommended for washing wool
• Gently agitate by hand to dislodge any dirt particles
• Rinse in clean, cool water and spin to rid excess water. A small amount of fabric softener can be used if desired
• Hang over a line or lay flat to dry (mohair dries quite quickly). When dry, a brisk shake or brush (with a soft hair brush) will restore the pile
• DO NOT TUMBLE DRY

Alpaca

Alpacas are descendants of camels and cousins to llamas. They evolved thousands of years ago developing a fine hair with remarkable softness, fineness, length, warmth, and strength. This dense fibre is a result of their harsh environment and the elevation in which they originated, the Andes Mountains of South America.

Today we know that the alpaca fibre is a natural insulator due to a hollow core in the fibre shaft. Tests have shown that alpaca fibre is 30% warmer than merino. Not containing the lanolin found in many other fibre types, as well having fibre that is free from cuticle, it is naturally hypoallergenic. Alpacas produce fibre with minimal guard hair (a course fibre) which means a substantial reduction in the itch felt with wool and other wool-like textiles. Naturally occurring in more than 22 colours, its versatility is unmatched.

Alpaca Care Instructions

Alpaca is luxurious, natural fibre so a good shake will dislodge most dirt particles and air on the line will freshen it up. If for some reason you do need to wash your throw, you can either follow these handwashing instructions or take to your local reputable drycleaner.

• Soak in tepid water using mild detergent recommended for washing wool
• Very gently agitate by hand to dislodge any dirt particles
• Rinse in clean, cool water and spin to rid excess water. A small amount of fabric softener can be used if desired
• Gently stretch back into shape
• Hang over a line or lay flat to dry
• DO NOT TUMBLE DRY

Possum/Merino

New Zealand possum fur, with its unique soft pointed ends and hollow core, makes for an extremely light, soft and luxurious fibre. Even the lightest possum product will keep the wearer warm without being bulky. The fibre used for our products is collected by hunters and trappers around New Zealand, which helps control the possum problem.

As Possum fibre can’t be made into a yarn by itself, as it is too short and slippery, it is blended with fine merino and silk or nylon to form a more durable yarn.

Merino is gaining publicity as being one of the best clothing materials in the world, thanks to great New Zealand brands such as Icebreaker who have lifted the profile of this wonderful back country secret. Our merino is sourced from around New Zealand. The best merino comes from the Southland high country where the cold conditions make for the best growing conditions for a thinner, softer fibre. When combined with possum fur the resulting product has qualities unmatched by any other natural fibre clothing.

Warmth

Possum fibre is hollow, like a polar bear’s, this makes it one of the best insulating fibres in the world. It is unbeatable for warmth in the winter and still breathes well when the temperature heats up in spring. Merino fibres also act as a buffer for your body against the outside air. The fibres help trap air in between themselves and this acts as a layer of insulation. Merino fibres are one of the only natural fibres that can keep creating heat when wet.

Durability

Possum fibre has a long life expectancy. The fibre is stretchy and this helps it resist breaking. It also won’t pill and when mixed with merino it makes the garment pill-free which increases the lifetime of your product. Merino fibre is longer than the possum fibre and therefore helps bond the two fibres together increasing a garment’s ability to remain smooth and making it more resistant to wear.

Comfort

Warm and luxuriously soft! Possum fibre is extremely soft and non-irritating. The soft fibre ends and hollow core give the product a smooth cushiony feeling when it is against the skin. Once you try it on you won’t want to take it off! High quality merino won’t prick or itch as the ultra fine fibres simply bend when pressed into the skin.

Lightweight

The hollow possum fur and fine merino make for an extremely lightweight product. On a weight to insulation ratio possum/merino performs better than nearly every other natural fibre products.

Possum/Merino Care Instructions

Like most natural fibres, merino wool and possum are resistant to odours and actively handle moisture by drawing it away from the body and releasing it. This means more wear with less washing and also adds to the life time of the product.

• Products can be safely washed using cool/cold gentle machine cycles and a slow spin. Wool detergent can also be added
• Do not overload the machine as too much tangling can stretch the products
• Hang over a line or lay flat to dry (depending on size of item)
• DO NOT TUMBLE DRY