12 - DNA analysis in the identification of animal fibers in textiles

Abstract

Animal hair fibers of commercial importance include wool and speciality fibers such as alpaca, mohair and cashmere. Commercially the most important speciality fiber is cashmere. However, cashmere apparel has frequently been found to be adulterated with cheaper fibers. A major problem facing the speciality fiber industry has been the lack of a fast and reliable analytical technique to differentiate between expensive fibers and lower-cost contaminants. This chapter summarizes recent developments in molecular biology allowing the use of DNA analysis for the identification of unknown animal fiber blends and leading to the provision of a commercial service for speciality fiber analysis.