Mohair

[trogdor]

I just picked up a new suit and it's in a 80% Wool, 20% Mohair blend.

I've never owned anything in mohair before, so can anyone tell me (or point me in the direction of) more information about it? I know it's quite breathable, so it should be good for warm weather. Anything else?

 

[Manton]

It's goat hair, usually blended with wool, because the fibers are stiff and mohair on its own tends to crack.

It's a stiff, scratchy, somewhat shiny fiber. The finish is typically bone dry. It is not a heat trapper, which makes it great for summer.

 

[SuitingStyle]

what's a good ration for mohair-wool blend?

 

[bslo]

I'd say it depends on how much you like mohair and its unique look. I've had a couple of 60% mohair 40% wool mixes, which I've liked a lot. But I really like mohair. I've seen other mixes with small amounts of mohair (10%) and you could not tell that there was any mohair in the fabric.

 

[Manton]

Depends also on the mohair. Kid mohair (young goats) is softer than regular mohair, and can be blended in at higher percentages. Dormeuil for instance sells cloth that is 90% kid, 10% wool.

Personally, I think 40% mohair, 60% wool is about right. 60% mohair perhaps does not quite risk cracking, but it sure looks shiney. Another problem is, because of the stiffness of fibers, it holds a crease well, but wrinkles don't shake out. Once you get a wrinkle, it's there until you repress the suit. Wool, on the other hand, tends to relax over time and a lot of wrinkling will just fall out naturally. Oh, and the more mohair in the blend, the worse water will make the suit look.

 

[SuitingStyle]

Originally Posted by Manton

Oh, and the more mohair in the blend, the worse water will make the suit look.

Doesn't that kinda defeats the purposes of having mohair blend wool. People wear them in the summer for its brethablity, but summer time you also get lots of pop up showers ...... do they shrink when soaked with water or just wrinkles badly and needs to be steam pressed in dry cleaners, which unlike wool suits you could just hang it up to air dry, and it will be good as new the next day.

 

[Manton]

The latter. Get caught in the rain, and you will need to press the suit.

 

[bslo]

Originally Posted by Manton

60% mohair perhaps does not quite risk cracking, but it sure looks shiney. .

I agree with everything you stated, but I have seen 60% mohair blends that are not particularly shiny. Certainly no more so than 40% blends.

 

[Manton]

Shinier than wool. Maybe 40% and 60% shine the same. I have some 40s, and I don't think I would want to wear a suit that was any shinier.

 

[aportnoy]

40% mohair is the most I have in a blend as well, with several only containing 20%.

 

[texas_jack]

I have an isaia suit that is 40% mohair and it is quite shiny.

 

[wedgehead98]

So...it's stiff and scratchy, holds a wrinkle well, and spots badly in water...what's the advantage of mohair?

...also posted in a David Chu suit forum question...but this is a different audience....

 

[Manton]

The fibers are stiff, but blended with wool, the resulting cloth is not stiff. It's scratchier than supersoft wool, but it's not uncomfortable. It doesn't spot in water, it just wrinkles badly in the rain.

The advantage is that it's cool. Its stiffness is a virtue: because of its strength, it can be woven very thin, which is great for hot weather. Also, the different texture and sheen is a nice change of pace.

 

[j]

I have some mohair/wool blend pants and I find they are hard to wrinkle - much harder than similar weight 100% wool pants would be. They may hold wrinkles longer once they are there, but IME they aren't as quick to start. I'm a fan for warm weather and formalwear - a midnight blue 80/20 wool-mohair tux would be my ideal. I actually found one the other day by Lanvin and the jacket fit me perfectly, but it had an unfortunate low early 90s gorge.

 

[Manton]

Originally Posted by j

They may hold wrinkles longer once they are there, but IME they aren't as quick to start.

True, I should have made that clear. If you have a steamer, the wrinkles steam out rather well. But with some wools wrinkles will just fall out from one night on a hanger. That never happens with mohair.