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January 2020

Mohair as a mattress fibre

Mohair is a really exclusive and beneficial natural fibre for any high-end mattress. When you see a significant amount of Mohair in a mattress you know you're looking at a real quality bed. We give a quick overview of why Mohair is classed as a premium mattress fibre and why you may need it for a perfect nights sleep!

Mohair is one of the premium natural fibres you may see in your search for a new mattress. As with all natural fibres, there are a number of key details you need to watch out for. Retailers will use a number of tricks to avoid telling you these details which you really need to know. If you don’t know these then you’re simply buying by guessing which is not going to help you find the perfect mattress. We’re going to help you though so don’t panic!

Artisan Naturals side profile
We explain why Mohair is used in high-end mattresses and how to spot the fakes. Click to view Mohair mattresses.

We aim to explain why Mohairs such a great fibre for mattress construction and how to tell if its really inside your new bed or not!

What is Mohair fibre?

Mohair is a wool-like upholstery fibre produced as a fleece on Angora goats. The Angora breed originated in Turkey. Like regular Wool, Mohair is a protein fibre.

A single Angora goat can produce between four and five kilograms of hair for fibre per year. Angora goats only shorn twice a year which increases the price and availability considerably of their coats.

Mohair mattresses and an angora goat
An Angora Goat before its sheared. Click to view Mohair mattresses.

The distinctive properties of Mohair have made it a highly- sought after fibre. It is centuries old and is used for or both clothing and home furnishings. Its soft luxurious feel and rich lustre combine with great durability make it a wonderful comfort layer in a mattress.

Why use Mohair in a Mattress?

So why do we use Mohair in high-end mattress construction? The answer is two-fold.

Firstly Mohair is really resilient even though it is a softer fibre. Meaning it makes an excellent medium feel comfort layer. It is also an excellent mattress spring insulator bridging the gap between the pocket spring uni and other softer upholstery above it.

Secondly, it’s incredibly breathable as Angora goats coats have evolved to cope with extremes in temperature in their native habitat.

Mohair Mattresses

We use Mohair in our dual spring Artisan Tailored Pocket 2000 mattress as an insulator.  Adding breathability and a bridge between the pocket springs and upholstery. This mattress has a total of 3950GSM of fibres.

A thick mattress on a divan base
Our Artisan Tailored Pocket uses 100% Mohair on top of the dual spring unit. Click to view.

We also use it in our Best Selling mattress model the Artisan Naturals which has our lowest return rate of all of our range. Great if you’re unsure of which mattress to buy even after doing your research. The Mohair and 3950GSM of Natural fibre fillings provide a medium feel in the upholstery layers. It also boasts a vanadium coated calico encased pocket spring unit in 3 tensions depending on your bodyweight.

Artisan Naturals FULL BED
Our Best Selling Artisan Naturals uses 100% Mohair as its spring insulator. Click to view.

Both these models show the amount of GSM and construction details you should expect when looking for a mattress that uses Mohair.

Spring TensionWire diameter (Gauge)Weight Range
Soft1.2mmBespoke Tension (Please Call)
Medium1.4mmUpto 16 stone
Firm1.6mm16 stone plus
Extra Firm / Orthopaedic1.9mm20 stone plus

What to look for with a Mohair mattress?

The biggest issue with Mohair in bed construction is that retailers will actively hide the GSM or Grams per Square Meter of the fibres they use, read our guide here. The issue with this is that a retailer may claim their bed ‘contains Mohair fibre’ but without telling you the amount.  Knowing how much is contained in the mattress is essential to work out what the value is or how the fibre will behave.

You also need to know if it is blended and what with. You are really just guessing if the retailer can’t or won’t tell you these details. Some blended fibres, for example, can contain just 1-3% Mohair and the rest polyester!

Mohair mattresses 1250GSM layer
Always check the GSM and blend of Mohair. Click to see our 100% Mohair Artisan Natural Mattress.

100% Mohair will be soft to the touch but provide a medium feel. 1%-3% blended Mohair will provide zero benefits to you and simply up the price tag of that mattress. So watch out!

How expensive are Mohair mattresses?

Mohair is only used in high-end mattresses at the £1,000 price point plus. It’s simply not feasible for a retailer to make and sell a mattress with pure mohair for less than this. If you do see a mattress advertised as containing Mohair for less than this, it will be a blend like discussed above.

Upholstery LayerFibre TypeHow it will feel?Price Point
PolyesterSyntheticSoftCheap
White FibreSyntheticSoft/MediumCheap
Recycled Fibre / Eco FibreSyntheticMediumCheap
Memory FoamSyntheticMedium/FirmMid Price
Igel / Hybrid FoamSyntheticMedium/FirmMid Price
PolycottonSynthetic/Natural BlendSoft/MediumMid Price
LinenSynthetic/Natural BlendMediumMid Price
Wool (Pure)NaturalSoft/MediumHigh-End
Cotton (Pure)NaturalSoftHigh-End
SilkNaturalSoftExpensive
HorsehairNaturalMediumHigh-End
MohairNaturalMedium/FirmHigh-End
HempNaturalMediumHigh-End
Latex (100% Natural)NaturalMedium/FirmHigh-End
CoirNaturalFirmHigh-End
FlaxNaturalFirmHigh-End
Coarse CashmereNaturalFirmHigh-End
BambooNaturalSuper SoftExpensive / Exclusive
Horsetail NaturalFirmExpensive / Exclusive
AlpacaNaturalSoftExpensive / Exclusive
Cashmere (Pure)NaturalSoftExpensive / Exclusive
VicunaNaturalSuper SoftExpensive / Exclusive

Mohair compared to other Natural Fibres

Natural fibreCost / Availability
AlpacaVery expensive (low supply chain)
Bamboo Average price (good supply chain)
CamelVery expensive (low supply chain)
CashmereExpensive (good supply chain)
Cattle HairAverage price (good supply chain)
CoirAverage price (good supply chain)
CottonVery expensive (good supply chain)
FlaxAverage price (good supply chain)
HempAverage price (good supply chain)
Horsetail Very expensive (low supply chain)
Horsehair Less expensive (good supply chain)
MohairExpensive (low supply chain)
SilkVery expensive (low supply chain)
VicunaVery Expensive (Most expensive natural fibre in the world)
WoolModerate to expensive (good supply chain)
Summary

Mohair fibre in mattress upholstery is where you start to move into seriously well-made bed territory! It’s soft, breathable and gives a medium feel to mattress upholstery. Far outperforming synthetic polyester or foam alternatives.

You’re simply not going to find 100% Mohair in a mattress that under £1000, so if you’re looking at models which claim to contain it then be careful!

Establishing the blend and GSM is the only way to see if a mattress you are looking at contains pure Mohair.

Why not get in touch with our small team of experts to help see if the model you’re looking at is good value? 0161 437 4419.

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