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Mohair is usually a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat.〔"Mohaire". ''The Oxford English Dictionary''.〕〔 Both durable and resilient, mohair is notable for its high luster and sheen,〔 which has helped give it the nickname the "Diamond Fiber",〔 〕 and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile. Mohair takes dye exceptionally well. Mohair is warm in winter as it has excellent insulating properties, while remaining cool in summer due to its moisture wicking properties. It is durable, naturally elastic, flame resistant and crease resistant. It is considered to be a luxury fiber, like cashmere, angora and silk, and is usually more expensive than most wool that comes from sheep. Mohair is composed mostly of keratin, a protein found in the hair, wool, horns and skin of all mammals. While it has scales like wool, the scales are not fully developed, merely indicated.〔 Thus, mohair does not felt as wool does. Mohair fiber is approximately 25–45 microns in diameter.〔 〕 It increases in diameter with the age of the goat, growing along with the animal. Fine hair from younger animals is used for finer applications such as clothing, and the thicker hair from older animals is more often used for carpets and heavy fabrics intended for outerwear. The term ''mohair'' is sometimes used to describe a type of material used for the folding roof on convertible cars. In this instance, ''mohair'' refers to a form of denim-like canvas. Mohair should not be confused with the fur from the angora rabbit, which is called ''angora wool''. ==Production== Mohair production is considered controversial. The hair is shorn from the goat in a process that exposes the goat to great stress and often injury. Shearing is done twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. One goat will produce of mohair a year. Shearing is done on a clean swept floor with extra care taken to keep the hair clean and free of debris. The hair is then processed to remove natural grease, dirt and vegetable matter. Mohair grows in uniform locks. Angora is a single-coat breed, and unlike pygora or cashmere, there is no need to dehair a mohair fleece to separate the coarse hair from the down hair. South Africa is the world's largest mohair producer, producing around 50% of the total world production.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=Mohair South Africa )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「mohair」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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