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 clone. Textiles created from wool range from thick and coarse carpets to extremely fine merino underwear suitable for a baby's skin.
Because they live in extreme climates, sheep have managed to evolve a highly sophisticated covering for themselves. Their fleece, with its tightly crimped fibers, contains many air pockets that insulate them, and us, from the cold. In scientific terms, the outer cells of the fiber repel water while the inner cells absorb moisture, which is the property that makes wool such a warm material. Wool is highly absorbent, capable of retaining up to 25 percent of its weight in moisture. It becomes warmer to the wearer as it slowly absorbs moisture from the air. Also wool is slow to feel damp, and it dries as slowly, and so does not chill the wearer by drying too fast as cotton and silk can.
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.
It is, alas, uncertain who was responsible for looking at a sheep and realizing that its fleece might be useful. The earliest dated surviving textile, found in a Danish bog, originates from 1500 BC, while the oldest fine woolen fabric dates to the fifth century BC and was found in a Greek colony.
Eventually, sheep destined for mutton roasts and sheep destined for fine woven rugs were distinguished, as good eating does not necessarily mean good quality wool. Early wild species of sheep had long, coarse outer hair protecting their short fleece undercoats. It is this underlayer that is desirable for textile use and has been selectively bred into modern sheep.
A somewhat ghastly fact is that "wool grease" (yecch!) a fatty substance which covers the fibers sheared off the sheep, is purified and the resulting lanolin is mixed into cosmetics.
Wool textiles are used for all types of apparel, from lightweight suits to heavy winter overcoats.
Chenille: Used for both clothing and upholstery (hopefully not at the same time), it is a fabric with a fur-like texture created by weaving the warp thread in groups, which gives it a chunky feel.
Felt: a nonwoven fabric created by matting or bonding fibers. Used for hats and the occasional skirt or coat. Felt can be made from synthetic fibers as well, but wool is the only natural fiber with "felting" qualities.
Flannel: Preferred fabric of the early-1990s grunge movement. A general term that describes a number of woolen fabrics woven in different weights of worsted. Usually soft and made of a plain or twilled weave slightly napped on one side. In other words, it's a little fuzzy on one side.
Gabardine: A fabric that comes in a variety of weights that has a clear-surfaced, twill weave with a fine diagonal rib effect. Wool is only one kind of gabardine and is found in coats, suits, trousers, skirts, and dresses.
Melton: A thicker sort of woolen fabric, it is made of a twill or satin weave with a smooth surface. Generally used for coats due to its thickness.
Serge: Used primarily for suits and military uniforms, it is an even-sided, twill weave worsted fabric.
Tweed: The most English of woolen fabrics, this rough-textured fabric is woven from wool in a variety of colored patterns. A heavier wool fabric, it is used for suits and coats.
Worsted: Hardy woolen fabric made of smooth yarn, whose name originated from Worstead in Norfolk, England (for you Anglophiles). Used for suits and coats.
Not all sweaters are made from wool, strictly speaking. Cashmere comes from the kashmir goat, while angora can be obtained from the angora goat or angora rabbit. The alpaca is a member of the camel family (decidedly not sheep), while mohair again is of angora goat origin.
Sweaters knit from wool yarns range from the thick lambswool variety to fine, lightweight merino.
If wool has any fault, it is its propensity to be eaten by a number of insects, including moth larvae and carpet beetles. However, full-grown moths are not responsible for the unpleasant holes. The fibers are essentially comprised of protein, a highly desirable food source for larvae. Smash the full-grown ones flying about all you like--by that time it will already be too late.
There are a variety of preventative methods to keep insects from attacking your wool garments. Before storing them for any length of time, be sure to thoroughly clean them. Cedar wood is a good natural deterrent, and wicker baskets are reputed to be excellent containers. Ideally, your wool garments should be placed into cotton bags, which allows the textile to breathe, and then sealed. Plastic bags and bins are not a good idea because they don't allow air circulation. Any moisture remaining in the container will result in a musty smell at best, and possibly even mold or mildew damage.
The Woolmark Company website: (an invaluable source - we are eternally grateful)
The Thames and Hudson Dictionary of Fashion and Fashion Designers (another
invaluable source - again, our gratitude)
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