Care · the noble fibre
Mohair is more forgiving than it looks. Handled with a little patience it keeps its lustre, its loft, and its colour for years. Four notes from the studio — how to wash it, how to store it, how to keep it alive, and how to mend it.
Four notes
01
Hand-wash in lukewarm water with a low-pH wool detergent. No agitation, no wringing. Press water out gently with a towel, then lay flat to dry — never tumble.
Mohair fibre swells in water and weakens until it dries. Heat or friction during this state causes felting. Cool water + gentle handling preserves the structure.
02
Fold, do not hang. Store in a breathable cotton bag with a piece of cedar or lavender. Avoid plastic — natural fibres need to breathe.
Mohair regains moisture from the air. Sealed plastic traps that moisture and invites mildew. Cedar deters moths without coating the fibre.
03
Re-shape gently after each wash. Brush with a soft mohair brush to restore the halo. Small pills can be removed with a pumice or sweater stone — never a razor.
The brushed halo flattens over time and lifts again with a soft brush. Razors cut the fibre; stones only catch what's already loose.
04
Mend, don't replace. A dropped stitch, a hole, a worn elbow — all easily reworked with a single strand from the same skein. Keep a length of yarn from your project for future repairs.
Mohair takes Swiss darning beautifully because the fibres blend rather than overlapping visibly. Match the colourway from your original kit if possible.
Made to last
A well-kept mohair garment outlives most things in a wardrobe. Begin with one skein, learn what the fibre wants, and the rest follows.