Let's talk about: Wool

5 GOOD THINGS TO KNOW: 

• Wool is a natural fibre from the animal kingdom, built from protein.
• There are about 40 sheep breeds in the world, and about 200 different types of wool.
• Wool contains the natural lanolin fat, which partly makes the material self-cleaning.
• Wool is a natural functional material that can be experienced as both warming and cooling against the body.
• Wool is a biodegradable and renewable material.
  

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT WOOL

Wool is a well-known material, both loved and reluctantly worn in various garments. Do you belong to the group that appreciates quality, and that often reflects on the materials that your garments are made from? Then you have found the right one, because today we are doing a deep dive into the world of wool.

When we talk about textile fibres, we usually start by distinguishing between natural fibres and artificial fibres. The group of natural fibres includes fibres derived from plants and animals, either built up from cellulose or protein, wool fibre belonging to the latter category. Wool is taken not only from sheep but also from goats, yaks, llamas and rabbits.

Wool is one of the most common fibres. Did you know, for example, that wool fibre is the fibre that has been worn by humans for the longest time? The art of spinning wool into yarn was developed around the year 4,000 BC.

MORE ABOUT WOOL

Today, there are about 40 different sheep breeds in the world, which approximately produce about 200 different types of wool. The wool thus comes in many different qualities and, like cotton, it is ranked according to how long the fibres are, their thickness, colour and impurities. This in turn affects the properties and uses of the wool.

Some of the wool qualities that are ranked highest and are considered most exclusive are cashmere from the cashmere goat and mohair from the angora goat. Common denominators for these are smooth and elastic fibres with high gloss and good colour absorbing ability. When it comes to wool from sheep, the French breed Rambouillet is considered to produce first-class ones, this thanks to fur with exclusively under wool, i.e. short and soft fibres.

THE WOOL PROCESS

The process that converts wool into a finished wool garment differs slightly depending on whether the process is done by hand or with the help of a machine in a factory. Common to the processes, however, is that the animals are first clipped, after which the sorting and grading of the wool is done.

The wool at this stage contains a lot of fat, dirt and vegetable material, more specifically about 40%, which must be removed. This is done by washing the wool in a washing liquid consisting of hot water and detergent or organic solvent. As the wool contains high levels of vegetable material, such as burdock, the wool sometimes also undergoes a chemical treatment, also carbonisation, to remove additional debris.

When the wool is sorted, free from impurities and dry, it is spun into threads or yarns. This is preceded by carding, where the fibres are laid in the same direction. The thread or yarn is then used to weave or knit fabrics, which then form garments.

BACK TO THE PREJUDICE…

As I said, there are many prejudices about wool. We thought we'd explain these, and hopefully turn some into desirable features. Let's start with "wool garments feel scratchy to the skin". This is usually due to fibre length. 200 types of wool gives you fibres of between 50 to over 150mm. Short fibres tend to find their way out of the yarn threads and demand your attention, long fibres are more comfortable. Here, the quality of the wool, or fineness, also plays a significant role.

So if we continue with "woollen garments are difficult to wash". This is true to some extent. The wool weakens when wet, and it is not a big fan of high temperatures. However, wool contains the natural lanolin fat, which encapsulates the fibres and repels dirt and odour, which means that the material feels self-cleaning and does not need to be washed quite as often. Air more often.

Last but not least "wool garments risk being felted/tangled". Wool fibres have epidermal scales that tend to hook into each other and in this way the fibres are bound together. This process is called felting and takes place mainly in the combination of heat and mechanical impact. Another reason to be careful when washing, but it opens up for experimentation.

In addition to this, wool has the unique ability to react to body temperature, and thus feels warm in winter and cool in summer. Generally for protein fibres is that they are hygroscopic, i.e. absorbs and releases moisture. The wool can absorb about 30% of its own weight without the material feeling damp. A natural functional material in other words.

PROTECT BY CHOOSING THE CORRECT VARIANTS

Did you know that wool is a biodegradable material? Some garments can be simply composted. The wool is also renewable.

Recycled wool is made from woollen fibres from old wool products or wool fibres that have not yet been spun. The fibres tend to be slightly shorter and it is not uncommon to mix in virgin wool, or other materials, to strengthen. Find recycled wool in the garments below:


Like cotton, there is organic wool. To be certified, there are a number of criteria, but the strongest are bans on insecticides to protect the wool from infestation, that the washing of the wool may only be performed with organic and biodegradable detergents and that requirements are placed on the animal husbandry itself. If you care for the animals, it is also a good idea to keep an eye out for mule sing-free wool. Find this, and much more, with Care with Carl.

CARE FOR YOUR WOOL GARMENTS

Find tips and advice on how to care for and wash your cotton garments in our clothing care guide.