The second last sale of the 2008 winter mohair season ended positively, as buyers of good quality hair weren’t put off by negative international economic sentiment. Nearly 130 000kg came under the hammer, of which 92% was sold. A ccording to Mohair South Africa the market for young goat’s and adult hair retained its price levels of the previous sale, although the overall market indicator decreased by 4,6% to close on R68,15. The decrease was attributed to a decline of 14,4% in the average price for kid’s hair, which was not of the same quality as at the previous sale, and is in short supply.
Pierre van der Vyver, the executive director of mohair at Mohair and Wool (CMW), said the adult market showed its mettle with the price in the sellers’ favour, despite a stronger rand. “This is very positive considering most of the hair on sale consisted of adult, high quality mohair of good length and fineness and it’s still in good demand,” said Van der Vyver. He added that while a forecast is always risky, especially considering the negative economic climate, the last sale of the season should remain stable because of the small offering. L ouw and Frans Retief of Murraysburg sold a clip for an average price of R97,82/kg, with their best bale of winter kids establishing a new record of R364,52/ kg.
The buyer was Samil. Meanwhile, William R Halstead the managing director of William Halstead, the London-based weavers of fine mohair and worsteds, has expressed confidence in the future of mohair. “Mohair has taken over from silks in several markets where silk suits were once the craze,” Halstead was quoted as saying in the trade magazine Twist, formerly known as the Wool Record.
“Lightweight, wrinkle-free mohair suits are becoming more popular in the Far East and Southern Europe, and the fibre is increasingly used in coats, jackets, tuxedos and blazers.” ccording to Halstead, consumers are becoming educated on the qualities of mohair such as elasticity, crease recovery, breathability and the ability to take dye, and it’s sheen and lustre. This stronger-than-steel luxury animal fibre is even easy to wash because it doesn’t felt or shrink. – Roelof Bezuidenhout
