Frequently Asked
Questions

In South Africa, the Angora Goats fleece is shorn (hair cut) twice a year -Summer and Winter.

The Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS) is a global certification standard that addresses animal, land and social welfare in the mohair industry. The standard was developed with Textile Exchange, a global nonprofit that creates leaders in the preferred fibre and materials industry. The RMS aims to provide the industry with the tools to recognise farmers’ best practices and traceability systems throughout the entire supply/value chain, from the farm to the finished product.

A supply chain is a process between producing and distributing a product, and it deals directly with the suppliers and the logistics of getting the product to the market. A value chain is each player’s contribution to the chain by adding some value to the product. With traceability and transparency being of utmost importance to the mohair industry, the RMS requires recording information at each stage of the supply chain to ensure the product is RMS certified.

Every block of the supply chain requires RMS certification for the product to be RMS certified at the end of the process. This means that the farmer/producer, broker, processor, spinner, designer/manufacturer, and retailer must be RMS certified.

Non-certified mohair means either the producer or part of the value chain has not been RMS certified.

The key difference between wool and mohair lies in their source and characteristics. Wool comes from sheep, while mohair is the hair of the Angora goat. Mohair is known for its exceptional sheen, softness, and strength, with a silky texture that resists wrinkling and matting. It is also lighter, more durable, and has a natural lustre compared to wool, which tends to be denser and more elastic.