English Mohair Vs Italian Mohair
Mohair, which refers to the type of fiber, is regarded by many tailors as the most beautiful types of cloth there is. Originally used by the royals and elites of England, it has been more recently available to the public. With both the English and now Italians involved in the production, many different varietals are also now on the market.
While many are aware of merino wool which comes from sheep, mohair is made specifically from Angora goats. The naturally strong fibers have a rough and dry texture which allows for an excellent drape. Mohair is the perfect choice for larger gentlemen or anyone else wishing to look their finest for an important occasion. The downside to this is that it can be undesireable for daily use. You want to use make sure that you have a 100% mohair fabric as well due to the how itchy the fabric can become if it is blended with synthetic fibers, which we refer to as “traviera”.
Taking inspiration from the English, the Italians later began to also produce mohair fabrics. Italian mohair is known for being much lighter and being much less rough while maintaining a similar drape. Furthermore there Italian mohair has more colorway and varietal options to choose from.
To summarize, with English mohair you are going with the classic mohair which has both it’s upsides and downsides. You will have a better drape, but will also have fewer color options. With Italian mohair there are more color options, but the fabric is a bit lighter with a small sacrifice on the drape.
