Wool is naturally flame-retardant, owing to its tendency to retain moisture. Also its absorbency makes wool ideal for dyes-wool takes on richer, deeper, purer colors than vegetable fibers can. Today, the main areas of wool production are Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina.

Features

Wool is popular to work with because it has remarkable qualities — durability, absorbency, resistance to flame and static, drapability, and its appealing hand. “Hand” is the way the fabric feels as you touch it. Wool fabrics have a springy, yet soft feel. Seams can be eased into place without puckering, stretching, or slipping. Wool fabrics press beautifully and can be moulded and shaped into garments that keep their shape if given proper care. Other qualities that make wool fabric a good choice for garments include wrinkle recovery, color fastness, stain resistance and its resiliency, which enables the wool to bounce back to its original shape after wearing.

Wool fibre is so resilient and elastic that it can be bent 30,000 times without danger of breaking or damage. Every wool fibre has a natural elasticity and wave or crimp that allows it to be stretched as much as one third and then spring back into place. Its complex cellular structure also enables it to absorb moisture vapour but repel liquid - try and soak up water with a wool cloth. No synthetic fibre has been able to combine all these characteristics.

An outer layer of scales and the bulk of the fibre, called the cortex. This is made up of millions of long cells held together by a strong natural binding material. This material is made up - put simply - of paracortex and orthocortex, each with slightly different qualities, that give wool fibre the characteristic “crimp” or small curls.

In Brief

· wool has a unique physical and chemical structure

· it is capable of absorbing moisture and letting through vapour (it breathes)

· it controls the humidity of its environment and endures dampness

· it controls temperature and insulates heat - it resists fire and electrostatic charge

· it resists dirt and dust

· it is long-wearing and wrinkle-resistant

· it is elastic and non-fading

· it is a natural sound-insulator

· it ensures repose and the assuaging of pain

· it has anti-allergic effects

CLASSIFYING WOOL

The blood system, the micron system, and the spinner count system are three methods used in classifying wool. The blood system is based on what fraction the sheep’s blood is of the Merino breed, this breed being considered to have the finest wool. The wool is classed from “fine” to low 1/4 blood, which would be a coarse-fibered wool. The micron system grades fiber by an actual measurement of its diameter. Fine wool would measure 19 microns or less diameter while coarser fiber would be about 35-39 microns. The spinning count system measures fineness by how many skeins of yarn can be spun from a given pound of wool, with the standard skein measuring 560 yards. Wool with a spinning count of 64s up to 80s would be considered very fine, while wool with a count of 30-40s would be quite coarse.

PROCESSING OF WOOL

Grease Wool is processed into its finished products by either the worsted or woolen systems.

Worsted System

In the worst system, the wool is combed after drying. This is method is only used on longer wools, and as a result the fibers are laid parallel to one another. Worsted materials normally have a smooth finish, and are extremely durable. Some examples of worsted products include suits, dresses, and gabardines.

Woolen System

Wools of short length are often used in the woolen system. In this system the wool is not combed, but rather carded. As a result, the materials are thicker, and garments look bulky in appearance. Some examples of the woolen products include, sweaters, and carpets.

Steps

1. The first step in processing wool is shearing. Shearing is the process of harvesting the wool. Most producers shear their ewes a month Shearing is the process of harvesting the wool. Most producers shear their ewes a month or so in advance of the ewes lambing. This helps to provide a more sterilized environment during the lambing process. To get the best possible wool not only takes the right fleece, but it also takes a special technique.

2. Next, the wool must be washed; in order to remove grease and other impurities the wool could have accumulated while being out in the feedlot. This is done by the wool being moved through a series of tubs, which are filled with soapy water. The first tub is set at a very warm 140 F, and then rinsed off in cold water. It is during this step, that the lanolin (grease of wool), is separated off, and later used to help make cosmetics and soaps.

3. The wool is then passed through a series of rollers and dryers.

4. Wool from different batches are then mixed together mechanically, thus creating a slightly different set of colors. This in turn, helps create a standard staple length and diameter, for the wool.

5. The clean wool is then passed through rollers, which in turn, straighten the fibers and removing unwanted matter. Rollers do vary in size and speed, which forms a thin web of fibers.

6. Slivers, or continuous ropes are then formed by the use of steel fingers which divide the wool and roll the strands on top of one another.

7. Coarser fibers, are then twisted into rope like structures, a process called roving.

8. Finer fibers are then combed and prepared for spinning into yarn.

9. After spinning, the wool is either woven or knitted.

Weaving interlocks to pieces of yarn at right angles to one another. Knitting interlocks yarns and loops and is done much faster than hand knitting.

10. The fabric is then passed through quality control inspection, where imperfections such as broken thread, and variations in color are identified.

11. If the fabric passes inspection it then continues on to the fulling stage. Here the fabric shrinks both in length and width.

12. The type of system the wool was processed by determines the type of finishing the fabric will have. Woolens are brushed, and worsteds are often enhanced by special treatments.

13. Crabbing is the next step the fabric will go through. In this process the fabric goes through hot and then cold water in order to set the cloth.

14. Sponging is done in order to prevent the fabric from shrinking. This is done by dampening the fabric with a sponge, and then rolling it in muslin.

15. Chemical finishes are then added to the wool, but the amount and type is determined by the end products use.

Market Share of Wool

Global Market Share Of The Principal Textile Fibres

At the end of the article I would like to say ,Wool is one of our most versatile fibers it is such a complex blend of properties that modern science still cannot duplicate it or create a synthetic clon.

S. Srikanth