Dear friends,
Continued from part 1, The Evolution of the Wool Sock.
While nylon and spandex revolutionized how socks stay up, mohair takes comfort and luxury to a whole new level.
Angora goats and their prized mohair have a story as rich as the fiber itself. Raised around Ankara, Turkey, since Biblical times, Angora goats were so valuable that Ottoman sultans forbade the export of angora goats or raw mohair under penalty of law. Only finished yarns and cloth could leave the empire.
That exclusivity lasted nearly three hundred years. Not until the 1830s, after trade restrictions eased, were Angora goats exported - first to South Africa, then to Texas in 1849. Mohair spread across the world, but its legacy of luxury and exclusivity endured.
At Caprine, we raise Angora goats in far north Idaho to produce this beautiful fiber. Silky soft mohair is sheared twice a year and carefully sorted: the softest, finest locks become socks and throws, while coarser fibers are woven into rugs.
We partner with family-run mills to spin our yarn and knit our socks. The offshoring of the textile industry over the past several decades has limited the use of higher percentages of mohair in yarns. Mohair is just too soft and silky for the remaining spinning mills to include more than 30% mohair.
Today, we proudly spin a 30% mohair / 70% merino blend yarn using American mills and skilled workers. Mohair brings softness and luxury; wool provides resilience and the time-honored tradition of a natural sock. Add a touch of nylon and spandex, and the socks stay put, fit beautifully, and hold their shape.
History has brought us here: to a sock that is more than just wool. It’s soft, luxurious, comfy, and proudly made in America with mohair from our own herd. Mohair transforms the humble sock into an experience - warm, cozy, and enduring.
Story to be continued in part 3, Every Pair of Caprine Mohair Socks Carries a Story.
Angela