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Cape Mohair Mohair Sock – Proudly South African |
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September 27, 2003 By: Rony Swede Cape Mohair Mohair Sock – Proudly South African
South Africa's mohair industry could be set for a resurgence among local consumers as its biggest producer, Cape Mohair, has become one of the latest companies to join the Proudly South African campaign. Having suffered a steady decline in the demand for quality manufactured local goods as a result of cheap imports over the past few years, increased consumer awareness via the Proudly South African campaign could affect a dramatic turn-around in this R200 million strong primary fibre industry. Globally, South Africa is the biggest producer of mohair with 60% of the total industry output for primary fibre. Cape Mohair has the lion's share of this market in South Africa as the manufacturer of 95% of the finished product available locally, specialising in socks, blankets and throws. This equates to 45 000 goats' hair being taken through to the finished product each year - Cape Mohair's closest competitor only uses 1 500 Angora goats. Overseas, mohair from South Africa is also commonly referred to as Cape Mohair. While the mohair industry worldwide experienced substantial growth up until 1989, industry experts have detected a 30% decline during the past 10 years with supply continuing to decline every year - 24 million kilos of primary fibre was produced in 1989 compared to the 7 million kilos in 2001. The reason for this, says Denys Hobson, the chairman of Cape Mohair, is the instability of the price for mohair, which remains volatile as manufacturers link the product to fashion trends. Despite the global decline, Cape Mohair has shown a year-on growth of 30% p.a. since 1999. We ascribe our success to the fact that Cape Mohair has distanced our products from the fashion arena to position it as a more timeless, classical alternative. By promoting the inherent attributes of mohair e.g. its versatility, durability, and strength, we have been able to grow demand for our products regardless of whether mohair is the high-fashion item of the season, he says. Mohair is viewed as a prestige fibre in Europe, but in South Africa, consumers still have a long way to go in recognising the product's superior qualities, says Hobson. Cape Mohair is, however, committed to growing the industry and last year launched a national awareness campaign on behalf of the mohair industry to promote product awareness for mohair via a television campaign. Besides answering to the Proudly South African campaign's requirements for quality products and local content, Cape Mohair is also committed to black economic empowerment. Of its 140 odd staff members, 93% are people of colour. All the company's management executives have advanced from bottom-rung positions, and Cape Mohair's receptionist, who started out as a sales assistant in a bookstore, has even advanced to the company's export co-ordinator. She will be departing for Germany in January 2003 to attend the Heimtextil Trade Show in Frankfurt and to undergo further training. Staff members are further included in all decision-making at Cape Mohair to take a more consultative business approach. The Cape Mohair seal has always ensured customers of the quality of our world-class products. From 2003, Cape Mohair will now also be featuring the Proudly South African logo on all our products and advertising material to identify ourselves as a company that is committed to local upliftment. Our new Proudly South African status will further support our export initiatives in Europe, the UK, USA, Australia, Russia, Japan, New Zealand and Turkey to give our product the necessary credibility", says Hobson. Martin Feinstein, Chief Executive of the Proudly South African campaign, says: Besides adding value to the raw fibre industry in South Africa, expansions in the mohair industry provide substantial opportunities for local employment - from the shearers on the farm, right through to retail level. Through the Proudly South Africa campaign, we hope to support Cape Mohair's growth and also the development of the textile industry as a parallel market. The history of mohair in South Africa In 1838, the first Angora goats, twelve rams and a single ewe, arrived in South Africa from Turkey. They had been imported for breeding purposes, but before their departure, their covetous Turkish owners had rendered the rams infertile, however, the single ewe gave birth to a ram kid shortly after arrival. It was from this humble beginning of two breeding animals that South African mohair has become sought after worldwide. Since 1894, a scientific breeding approach has been in place which has transformed the original Turkish Angora goat into a hardy animal strong enough to thrive in the harsh, scrubby conditions of the Karoo as well as an animal free from Kemp. (Kemp is the foreign fibre caused by crossbreeding which, if processed into the final product, does not take dye and causes the prickle consumers abhor.) This makes the animal unique to South Africa. The hair is also stringently graded on the farms - it is this dedication to the fibre that sets South African mohair apart from producing countries. The Western Cape Province is home to the oldest Angora goat in the country and producers have consistently produced most of the world's high quality clip, obtaining the highest prices for the past 30 years. Local Angora farmers have hosted visitors from all over the world. About Cape Mohair Cape Mohair Ltd is the manufacturing division of a vertically integrated group of companies, which ensures continuity of supply of mohair yarns for manufacture. As such, it operates in the clothing and textile sector of industry with a weaving division that manufactures mohair blankets and throws in various quantities, mohair accessories and fabrics, as well as waffle weave cotton fabrics. While the knitting division concentrates on the manufacture of a wide range of mohair socks, it also makes cotton, as well as wool socks to complement its range. Also see; knee high socks.About
The Author:
Rony Swede is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.socks-n-socks.com.
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