With any interaction and conversation, ideas take shape, thoughts shift, and new actions are set into motion. Whether these exchanges are big or small, what you say and how you say it has a way of circulating back. One of the most wonderful outcomes of being part of The World Hope Forum’s Farm to Fabric talk series was receiving an invitation by Lorenza Wong, a lecturer at Parson’s School of Design and The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York, to share our mohair story.

Photo Credit: Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC (top left), Frances van Hasselt presenting at Parsons School of Design (left centre), A lesson in colour and dye at Parsons School of Design, Textile MFA (bottom left), Frances van Hasselt presenting at Parsons School of Design (top centre), Parsons School of Design, Textile MFA Exhibition (bottom centre), Sample bunch of tops at The Fashion Institute of Technology (top right), Frances van Hasselt presenting at The Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC (right centre), and development pieces in the loom at The Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC.

This is a dream opportunity to connect with some of the best makers, creators, students, lecturers, and the broader textile community. There is no doubt that schools such as these birth a new generation of fashion and textile leaders.

Upon setting off, I wondered what on earth I could share that would be of interest to some of the most brilliant minds in the industry, working in a context so far removed from our tiny studio in the middle of the Karoo. I was comforted by the fact that having been asked meant that there must be something special about our story. The more I thought about my presentation, it became clear to me that this was not an isolated conversation about our studio. Rather, I was purely the spokesperson presented with the opportunity to tell the full story about our South African mohair industry. 

When a story becomes one that includes the entire ecology of elements, actors, animals, plants, herdsmen, farmers, and makers needed, to get the fibre from farm to fabric, the story turns into one of the most unique and engaging textile tales; Ancient, sustainable, bespoke, geographically centred in South Africa; A small fibre that holds communities together. A fibre deserving of much celebration and attention.

In telling this story, the response could not have been more positive. Everyone wanting to know more about the Karoo, the animals, the fibre, the people, and our way of making.

I hope we never take for granted that being a country which produces and processes most of the world’s mohair is quite simply phenomenal. That said, let us not be mistaken in thinking that the rest of the world is telling our story and making products celebrating mohair for us. It was startling to realise how little is known about mohair in both these prestigious institutions.

There is great interest in mohair at the moment, and we need to engage more with institutions like these. Most of the yarn provided to the schools is sponsored by spinning houses that work mainly in wool. As a result, most of the yarns available to students are wool-based. Not one of the students that I engaged with had ever worked with mohair before. These are students passionate about textiles which will go out into the world and make from their personal reference points. If they have never been exposed to mohair, the chances of them including it in their work going forward is not high.

I believe that we have a massive opportunity to engage with these institutions and provide them with mohair, be it raw, carded, or yarn form. Building up a relationship will lead to skill exchange and knowledge transferal. Many of the students and lecturers expressed interest in visiting SA and collaborating on a mohair project of some kind. I personally feel that these interactions will only benefit the industry.

My time in New York coincided with the Parson’s Textile MFA students’ final exhibition. The level of craftsmanship, command of materials and composition was exceptional. I walked away so encouraged by the direction in which the future of textiles is taking, led by young minds who are makers before they are designers. Their work is largely hand-made, and they care about the process and the message they wish to put out into the world.

I return home feeling inspired and humbled, having met some of the most brilliant talents and educators in the industry, all of whom have expressed such sincere care, kindness, engagement, and interest in our story. Being such a rich producing and processing country of mohair, we need to produce products locally that showcase the excellent characteristic of the fibre we grow. Our products need to be authentically and uniquely South African.

International end-users who use mohair in their fashion and textile collections rely on producers and processing houses to supply them with excellent mohair under the most sustainable and ethical practices. This is a growing requirement expected across all fibre suppliers and we are in a fortunate position to have a global certification in place. In return, knowing that our mohair is being used in their collection means that the fibre remains relevant and its natural characteristics irreplaceable, keeping demand steady and prices good. This does not mean that these brands are telling the mohair story or promoting it. They promote their collection as a whole and cannot be expected to educate consumers on every fibre included in their collection.

We absolutely must push our engagement with the broader textile world.

Encourage them to work with mohair by telling our story, showing our products, and highlighting the interwoven workings of the entire value chain. There is no doubt that RMS has pushed mohair to be one of the most sought-after sustainable, luxury fibres. We need to ensure that we continue to work together as a local industry and engage with a broader, global value chain to be thought leaders and examples of what ethical and sustainable textile communities look like.

Now is not the time to sit back and ride the wave because, before long, we will be in a reactionary position if we do not continue with the phenomenal work being done in driving our industry forward; Focussing on local excellence and engaging and sharing this story with the broader textile community.