The industry body for the country’s mohair has entered into a contract with a material verification specialist Oritain.

South Africa is known for producing over 50% of the world’s mohair, used by high-end fashion houses. This has resulted in counterfeiters as the material is exported in abundance globally.

Lindsay Humphreys, the head of the organization’s global business development and sustainability, stated that the focus of the South African mohair industry was committed to working towards a more sustainable and responsible future by taking the people, environment and the people into consideration.

The South African mohair industry employs over 30,000 people, responsible for the bi-annual sheering of the angora goat’s fleece before it gets exported to country across the globe. The material catches a number of retailers and high profile brands eye as it is lightweight, dye-responsive, durable, crease-resistant and non-flammable.

The versatile and reputed material recognized as a premium product is easily targeted by counterfeiters trying to cash in with cheap iterations of their own. That’s what would be snuffed out by their newly established partner Oritain. Oritain is a company that rolled out from the University of Otago.

The company is a forensic science specialist and has acquired many stakeholders in the fashion and textile industry. The company’s customers continue to grow as more and more companies look to protect their intellectual property. Oritain utilizes forensic science and technology to analyze mohair fiber and verify its country of origin. This not only safeguards the manufacturers but also provides insights on the contents of the mohair purchase to various brands.

Humphreys stated that the partnership with Oritain would perfectly compliment the progressive developments in the Mohair industry with the recent launch of the Responsible Mohair Standard and the intensified training and education programs at a grassroots level. 

She further added that the Mohair Industry recognized the shift towards a fully traceable fashion fiber as the future of sustainable sourcing and they believe technology would play a vital role in ensuring transparency from farm to store.