Before keeping my own angora goats and rabbits, I am afraid that I had no idea that there were more than one type of angora animal producing fiber, and it gets worse....
I think I just generally assumed that angora came from some kind of woolly angora animal. Admittedly I probably gave it very little thought, just enjoying the fluffy angora fibers. I had no idea that angora fiber was collected from angora rabbits.
I am afraid that I also had no idea that mohair came from angora goats. My family take great delight in retelling the story about how for many years I believed that mohair came from that unheard of breed of animal - the Mo. I was quite shocked to find that angora goats produced mohair, and stunned to find out that there is no such animal as a Mo.
I thought that such shocks were supposed to end with finding out that Father Christmas isn't real.
It wasn't until we lived on a smallholding and kept animals that I started to take a keener interest in where different fibers come from. During this time I really started to learn more about where some of our great fabrics start life.
But does knowing where different fibers come from really matter? Well, not really. Knowing that some beautiful tartan fabric started with some highland sheep, or some wonderful coat fabric began life on a South American alpaca doesn't alter the nature of the fabric. But for me, at least, it adds to the pleasure.
I have some wool and cashmere fabric that I am working on at the moment and I love to imagine the Kashmir goats and the sheep whose fiber has been woven into this material I am now using. It all adds to the richness of the wonderful and diverse crafts of sewing and needlework.
I have written some articles on the subject:
