The extraction and production of wool is one of the most ancient types of fiber work imaginable. The development of technologies and methods for the production of woolen fabric has passed a centuries-old history. Nowadays, wool dressing consists of a large number of complex stages, some of which are completely manual, and some are automated. In any case, the technology for the production of wool products does not stand still and is constantly evolving.

The manufacture of wool and products from it is a set of interrelated actions, as well as methods of obtaining products. It is a mistake to believe that the technology includes only the direct methods of making yarn or fabrics, from which things are subsequently sewn or knitted. In fact, the technology includes the entire production stage from raising an animal, feeding and caring for it, breeding, as well as the collection of wool itself and further direct processing of the material.

Woolen garment production chain

So, the whole process of making a wool product includes seven interrelated stages. If you skip any of them, the chain will be broken, which means that the quality of the threads and products in general will suffer.

Raising animals

The primary and fundamental step is the breeding and raising of animals. Wool is the hairline of a number of mammals. It consists of thick, guard hairs, which determine the length and shape of the entire coat, as well as thin, fluffy and twisted hairs (they form the undercoat). Wool is collected from many species of mammals, in particular sheep, goats, camels, alpacas and llamas, and rabbits. The process of raising animals includes the following important components:

Harvesting

The collection of mammalian hair occurs in two different ways:

• a haircut;
• by combing (it is used, for example, when collecting fur of angora rabbit).

Of course, the first method is the most common and convenient for both humans and animals. Hair clipping takes place at certain times of the year. For example, sheep are necessarily sheared in the spring, but some breeds also need an additional autumn shearing... Youngsters born in winter are usually cut a little later - in June or July, when the hairline grows longer.

The haircut is performed by specially trained people so as not to injure the animal. For this, well-sharpened and sufficiently large scissors are used. In modern conditions, haircuts are often carried out using a special clipper.

Important! A trained specialist performs his job professionally. In a day, he can shear about 200 heads of sheep. It is interesting that one sheep gives about 7 kg of wool, and a large ram - about 9 kg.

Sorting

The harvested crop is subject to mandatory sorting. The main criteria are length and fineness (in fact, the thickness of the hair)... The length of the coat depends on the type of animal: in some breeds, it can vary significantly. For example, the breed of merino has a hairline of about 7–12 cm, while in coarse-haired representatives the length even reaches 30–40 cm. It becomes clear why they must be cut and how difficult it is for them to carry such a burden.

Wool sheared from one sheep is called fleece. The wool of even one individual is rather heterogeneous in its composition. On different parts of the body, the cover has a different texture. The best coat grows on the sides, back and shoulder area. The hairs that grow on the legs are usually not of very good quality. That is why it is subject to mandatory sorting both by length and fineness, and by its crimpiness.... Materials of different coarseness are subsequently used to make different fabrics. Felt, building materials are usually made from coarse wool, and from softer ones - things for personal use, clothing and interior items.

Purification of raw materials

Only wool sheared from an animal is called raw, that is, a material that has not yet been subjected to any processing and cleaning. Outwardly, he looks like something very shaggy and a little sloppy. But all this is fixable. For the subsequent creation of yarn, this step is mandatory. It consists of:

• washing wool. This is done at a temperature of about 40-50 degrees Celsius. On an industrial scale, washing takes place using special equipment that performs all stages, including thorough washing and squeezing of the material;
• garbage collection. In the raw material, various particles are often found that are completely unnecessary to create high-quality yarn. It can be thorns, dry grass that gets stuck in the wool when sheep graze in the fields. In some modern farms, sheep are protected from dirt getting into their wool cover. For example, they can be covered with special mesh capes during grazing.

Combing

After cleaning the raw material, the stage of combing begins, so that the wool from a twisting and shaggy substance turns into fairly even strands... Previously, this entire process was done by hand. Now, in the age of new technologies, all the main work is done by cards. These devices are equipped with special rollers that can pass wool through them. They are covered with wire bristles, which straighten all tangled hairs to form even, separated fibers.

Important! Some machines simultaneously perform not only combing, but also cleaning of the material. This saves a lot of time for the manufacturer, since the 2 stages are combined into one.

The resulting carded fibers are carefully twisted into strands called rovings. This concludes all the preliminary steps before the actual spinning of the yarn.

Spinning

In the old days, spinning was the main occupation of unmarried girls. We all remember the spinning machine from the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty". It was on such an instrument that women made yarn with their own hands. Now the whole process is greatly mechanized and simplified. A loom in a factory produces woolen threads hundreds of times faster than a hundred craftswomen would do by hand.

Sometimes, before spinning, the wool is also run through a mixing machine.... This is done when the material is composed with a partial wool content. This is where wool is mixed with synthetic fibers such as acrylic.

The spinning process itself is called sucking. To make it easier to understand its essence, you can consider it using the example of hand spinning. This requires:

• separate a small piece of material and stretch it;
• dump a little;
• then twist to form a thread. So that it does not break off and is long, it is important to just put more and more pieces of wool.

On factory equipment, this process takes place in the same way, but with the hands of a machine, not a person. The master only needs to check the correctness of the work, and also to lay the raw materials on time.

Making fabric or yarn

From the obtained woolen threads, two types of material can be obtained: either yarn for knitting or fabrics. The latter are made on a loom. The higher the quality of the wool was and the better it was cleaned and processed, the higher the quality of the finished fabric will be. At this stage, they can be made as completely natural fabrics (for example, containing only cotton and wool). Most modern fabrics are made using synthetic yarns. This is okay, because a completely woolen fabric has some drawbacks, in particular, it pricks quite hard.

If wool is used to make yarn, then the threads can either leave a derivative of the thickness, or fold several times and get a thick yarn.

Sewing or knitting

The last stage is the direct production of woolen items. The manufacturing method will depend on the finished material:

Important! The last stage in the production of woolen garments can be completely different. For this, even spinning is skipped. It's about felting- the same method of making warm felt boots, slippers, hats for the bath. This method consists in the fact that the cleaned wool is kept in practically boiling water, due to which it coarsens and ceases to be so fluffy. Felt boots or children's toys are perfectly formed from such material, which will delight you for a long time.

What do I do when I'm cold? You guessed it !!! I dress warmly. Woolen sweater, woolen socks, downy shawl and hot tea with honey.

Why do knitted woolen products keep us warm in winter?
And because wool has the highest heat-shielding properties.
This magical action takes place, thanks to the composition of the wool fiber, to bind heat and keep it between the fibers.
There is no other similar fiber in nature anymore.

Wool

Wool is the hair of animals that can be processed into yarn or felt.
Wool obtained from animals is named after the type of animal.
For example: goat hair, camel hair, etc.

The bulk of wool (95-97%) for wool processing enterprises is provided by sheep.

According to the composition of the fibers, wool is distinguished homogeneous (thin, semi-thin, semi-coarse and coarse)
and heterogeneous (semi-coarse and coarse).

The uniformity of the coat is determined by fineness, crimp and length. And it is characterized by the content of fluff, transitional hair, awn and dead hair in it.

By fineness (thickness) wool is divided into four groups.

Thin: fine fibers of down with uniform crimp - high quality.

Fine wool consists of fine fibers of fluff (from 14 to 25 microns) with uniform fine crimp
length 30-80 mm and is characterized by the properties inherent in downy fibers.
It is used to make high quality knitwear and fabrics.

Semi-thin: coarse fluff or transitional hair. Or a mixture of them.
Semi-fine wool is characterized by a fineness of 25 to 34 microns and a length of 40-150 mm.
It consists of coarse fluff, transitional hair, or a mixture of both;
used to make the finest woolen knitwear and
thin costume and dress fabrics.

Semi-coarse: fluff, transitional hair and a little thin awn are of lower quality.
Semi-coarse wool has a fineness of 34 to 40 microns and a length of 50-200 mm.
It consists of down, transitional hair and a small amount of thin awn,
used to produce lower quality knitwear and fabrics.

Rough: fluff, transitional hair, awn and dead hair are of poor quality.
Coarse wool is characterized by a fineness of 40 to 67 microns and a length of 10-250 mm.
It consists of fluff, transitional hair, awn and dead hair.
This is the lowest quality wool used primarily for making
coarse fabrics.

Wool fiber consists of three layers (visible under a microscope):

Scaly (cuticle) - the outer layer, consisting of individual scales, protects the hair body from destruction. The degree of gloss of the fiber and its ability to felter (roll, fall off) depend on the type of scales and their location.

The scaly layer of the fiber consists of the thinnest corneous plates (scales) that form the outer cover of the fiber.

The flaked layer is characterized by high mechanical strength and chemical resistance, protects the inner layers of the fiber from atmospheric and mechanical influences. It imparts a number of valuable properties to wool fibers. So, the flakes increase the tenacity of the fibers, as a result of which a stronger yarn is obtained.

The straining of wool fibers is also due to the presence of a scaly layer.
There is a significant amount of air between the scales, so woolen fibers are less heat conductive.
The size, shape and nature of the relative position of the flakes depend on the type of wool (fine and coarse) and affect many of the technological and operational properties of the fiber.

Cortical - the main layer, forms the body of the hair, determines its quality.

The cortical layer is located directly under the scaly, forms the main body and determines the main properties of the fiber. The cells of the cortical layer have numerous boundaries, which corresponds to the concept of a cell as a three-dimensional polyhedron.

Medullary - located in the center of the fiber, consists of cells filled with air.

The core layer is located in the center of the fiber and consists of cells of various shapes, between which there is air. The presence of a core layer is indicative of a coarse fiber with reduced tensile strength. The dimensions of the core layer are not the same for different fibers and vary widely.

Depending on the ratio of the individual layers, wool fibers are divided into 4 types:

Fluff - a very thin, soft, crimped fiber with no core layer.

Down - the thinnest (15-30 microns), soft and durable round fibers
in cross section, with fine crimp, consist of two layers:
scaly and crustal. The scales of the fluff are ring-shaped, they cover the fiber around the entire circumference, find one on top of the other, creating a rough surface. Thanks to this, the fluff has an unsharp shine and the best roll.

Ost - thick, stiff fiber with a significant core layer.

Awn - thick (50-90 microns), almost straight coarse fibers with an irregular oval shape in cross section, consisting of three layers: scaly, crustal and pith.
The scales of the spine are not annular in shape, most closely adjacent to the cortical layer, causing a strong shine and less roll. The core layer of the spine occupies from 1/3 to 2/3 of the fiber thickness.
As a result, the spine is less durable and flexible, more rigid.

Transitional hair - thicker and harder than down. The core layer meets in places.

Transitional hair in its structure occupies an intermediate place between fluff and awn.
The transitional hair, like the spine, consists of three layers, but its medullary layer is much narrower and intermittent.
In terms of technical parameters, transitional hair is more suitable for fluff than awn.

Dead hair - the thickest, coarsest, brittle and shortest fiber, devoid of natural color and shine. The core layer of dead hair takes up 90-95% of its thickness.

As a result, dead hair has low strength, quickly collapses from friction, does not stain and does not have the ability to fall off.
Therefore, dead hair is considered a defective fiber and is removed from the wool stock.
Chemical composition: natural protein keratin.
In terms of chemical composition, wool fiber refers to protein compounds containing mainly keratin, which includes the residues of various amino acids.
The elemental composition of keratin is characterized by the presence of five elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur.

The action of chemical reagents on fibers:

It is destroyed by the action of strong hot sulfuric acid, other acids do not work. Dissolves in weak alkali solutions. When boiled, wool dissolves already in a 2% sodium hydroxide solution. Under the influence of diluted acids (up to 10%), the strength of the wool increases slightly. Under the action of concentrated nitric acid, the wool turns yellow, under the action of concentrated sulfuric acid it becomes charred. Insoluble in phenol and acetone.

Wool properties

Heat resistance - (the ability to conserve heat) is one of the most famous and beloved properties of wool.

Wool has the highest heat-shielding properties. This magical action takes place, thanks to the composition of its fibers, to bind heat and keep it between the fibers. There is no other similar fiber in nature anymore.

The highest hygroscopicity is 18-25%. Maximum 30%. Absorbs moisture from the environment, but unlike other fibers, it slowly absorbs and releases moisture while remaining dry to the touch. It swells strongly in water. The stretched-out wetted fiber can be fixed by drying; upon re-wetting, the fiber length is restored again. This property of wool is taken into account when wet-heat treatment of products for crimping and pulling their individual parts.

Good light fastness.

Good extensibility.

Good elasticity - crease resistance.

Good stainability with acid dyes. Wool is relatively acid resistant.

Natural color: white, gray, black, red.

Felting is the ability of wool to form a felt-like covering during the felling process. The greatest ability to felter is possessed by a thin, elastic, highly crimped wool. Cloth, drape, felt, felt.

Wool fibers repel dirt and are easy to clean.

Alkaline treatments are not available !!! Alkali, even in a weak solution, spoils the wool.

Other properties.

Eh, not only we like wool. She is also loved by the praying butterfly. And microbics love her too.

Do not store the wool in a damp and very humid place, germs cause mold and rotting of the wool.
Excessively high drying temperatures and prolonged exposure to sunlight will reduce the durability of the wool.

Well, excuse me. Well, I just can't help but write about the well-known and very beloved Orenburg goat.
As soon as I think about the fact that this breed could disappear, immediately tears well up in my eyes.

Orenburg goat- introduced in the 19th century. as a result of the selection of the best breeds of goats in order to obtain long, soft, thin down. It is associated with a traditional and well-known throughout Russia and abroad folk craft - production

Wool is one of the oldest raw materials for the production of textiles for various purposes, as well as knitted products. Woolen fabric is a material obtained by weaving fibers of animal origin, namely, the hair of various animals. That is, wool is not only the villi themselves, but also the matter that is obtained from them. Natural wool is very expensive, but it is in great demand. The reason for this is the excellent properties of the wool. But today, half-woolen fabrics with the addition of other fibers, which are somewhat cheaper, are much more widespread.

Types of raw materials

Wool for the production of fabrics is obtained not only from sheep, as most believe. Sheep, though, is by far the most popular and affordable.

The following types of wool can serve as raw materials for woolen textiles.

• Sheep(fine-wool merino wool, lambs wool or coarser shetland and cheviot) - warm, wear-resistant, strong.
• - fibers obtained from the Himalayan goats. One of the most expensive types of wool.
• Camel- elastic and lightweight, usually used in combination with sheep for coat fabrics. A more expensive option is a hand-picked vicuña (for the production of very expensive costume materials).
• Mohair- is produced from the hair of angora goats living in South Africa, USA, Turkey. The fabric is very delicate and requires special care.
• Angora- fibers produced from wool of angora rabbits. The fabric of them is very soft, pleasant to the touch, also one of the most expensive.
• Alpaca (lama, suri)- llama wool. According to its characteristics, it is much warmer than cashmere or merino, it is used in the production of expensive clothing.

All these varieties have different density, hairiness, weight, therefore, woolen fabrics of different characteristics and purposes are obtained from them. And, of course, different price categories.

By the way, the price is significantly influenced by impurities of other fibers, especially synthetic ones, which significantly reduce shrinkage and creasing, extend the life of things, and facilitate their care. In this case, we are already talking.

Pure wool materials include materials in which up to 10% of other natural or artificial fibers (but not synthetics) can be present.

According to the spinning method, wool fabrics are divided into three main groups.

1. Worsted- from semi-thin or semi-coarse twisted yarn. Woolen worsted fabrics are the thinnest and most common for tailoring suits.
2. Fine cloth- from fine yarn of hardware production. In structure, such materials are fleecy, of varying degrees of deflection. Woolen is obtained from them.
3. Rough cloth- from coarse hardware yarn. Accordingly, the fabrics are coarse, thick and dense. They are used for sewing informal jackets, outerwear for military personnel.

Naturally, technical characteristics, such as density, softness, thickness, strength, are significantly different for all these varieties.

Woolen products perfectly absorb foreign odors. Therefore, the aromas of perfume will last for a very long time. However, for the same reason, smokers should not wear things made of such fabrics: persistent "amber" of cigarette smoke will accompany them constantly.

Properties of woolen textiles

In each case, fabrics made from woolen raw materials will differ not only in the method of spinning and the thickness of the threads, but also in the type of weave, density, degree of deflection, percentage and type of synthetic or artificial additives.

But in general, if we talk about all woolen fabrics, we can name several properties common to them.

• Very low thermal conductivity. That is, the maximum thermal protection. It is difficult to find another natural equivalent with this degree of human warmth retention.
• Strength and durability. Twisted yarns used in weaving are responsible for them.
• Hygroscopicity. Wool perfectly permeates air and absorbs vapors from the human body.
• Dirt resistance. This is a natural property of natural wool.
• Low creasing, for which a special twist of the threads is responsible. By the way, in order to bring a crumpled product made of such materials into a neat look, it is enough to hang it on a hanger for a while in a damp room.

If things do need to be ironed, it is better to use a steamer instead of an iron. Or you can iron it from the inside out, without pressing hard - with strong pressure on the surface of the fabric, you can “smooth out” its expressive texture irrevocably!

Of course, like any textile, woolen has a couple of not entirely attractive characteristics.

• Wool absorbs moisture from the environment. Walking through the fog in a woolen coat, you can find yourself in wet outerwear.
• When wet in water (during washing), the material is able to stretch strongly, which requires special delicacy.
• May cause allergic reactions depending on the fiber composition.
• Woolen fabrics, especially those with a high percentage of synthetic impurities, can accumulate static electricity (spark and "shock").

The main types of woolen fabrics, their application

As with most textiles, wool is the name of the fiber type, not the fabric itself. The wide assortment of textiles has many different names. The use of all these types is different. They are used for sewing products for various purposes: from outerwear to bed linen.

• Reps- rather dense suit fabric of the corresponding weave.
• Gabardine- also dense, but lightweight water-repellent fabric for sewing raincoats, summer coats.
• Boucle- with a surface in the form of "knots".
• Jersey- a kind of knitted fabrics, suitable for sewing dresses and other clothes.
• Velours- a canvas with a uniform dense pile. It is used for the manufacture of upholstery, sewing jackets, jackets, elegant dresses.
• Bike- thin fabric with a fleece on one side for sewing light-season coats or thin blankets.
• Cloth- heavy and very dense, rather coarse fabric for sewing outerwear.
• Flannel- thin, with double-sided fleece. Warm baby clothes and bed linen are sewn from it.
• Tweed- soft. Jackets and demi-season coats are made from it.
• Plaid- woolen checkered material used for sewing women's suits and dresses, men's shirts.
• - heavy, dense material of the coat group.
• Cashmere- dense beautiful fabric for the production of outerwear, stoles, jackets, scarves. Very high quality and expensive.
• Felt- material obtained by felting wool. Not only clothes are made from it, but also shoes and soft toys.

How to care for wool products?

It is logical to assume that coats, suits and jackets should not be machine washed, but rather dry cleaned. Skirts, trousers, dresses can be washed in a delicate mode without wringing it out with your hands. It is preferable to dry such things by spreading them out in a horizontal position. More specific guidelines can be found on clothing labels.

Woolen fabrics are a huge assortment of various textiles that are in constant demand among consumers. The main advantage of such materials is heat preservation. And the main drawback is the need for careful care. But these efforts will pay off a hundredfold with the sensations that woolen products give.

With the development of technology, it has become difficult to determine whether the fabric is natural or not. Now, for example, it is difficult to find products made from natural wool, in which there would be no other fibers.

Many people know about wool only that it is a fabric of natural origin, which retains heat well. Basically, wool from sheep, camels and goats is used for its production.

Wool properties

Almost all wool is stain resistant and does not wrinkle. Various odors such as smoke, food or sweat are well escaped from this fabric. It does not absorb moisture, but it does absorb water in the form of steam. It is because of this that the products dry slowly. Woolen fabric retains warmth well, and during wear it falls off, and in this regard, it becomes even warmer, and also windproof.

Wool can be used for sewing suits, sweaters, dresses, coats. Depending on the product for which the material is planned to be used, woolen fibers are divided into:

• Worsted or combed fabrics. They have a smooth surface and a pronounced weave pattern. This type of wool is light and thin, therefore it is rarely added to the coat. The fabric is mainly used for sewing blouses or dresses.
• Finely woven fabrics. Wool made by this method is soft and porous and has high heat-shielding properties.
• Rough cloth fabrics. Due to the fact that this species is tough and prickly, it is used in the production of uniforms and men's coats.
• Pure wool fabrics. They have good thermal protection, elasticity, and practically do not wrinkle. But with all the positive characteristics, this fabric lends itself to abrasion and is prone to shrinkage of the product.
• Wool blend fabrics. Various synthetic fibers are most often added to this type, but even this does not save the fabric from rapid contamination and a decrease in hygroscopicity.

History of origin

Archaeologists claim that wool was used 1500 BC. It was then that people were able to tame goats and sheep and use their hair to make woolen fabric. Wool was especially popular in ancient Rome.

In the middle of the century, wool began to trade, and in the 13th century, the economy of a country like Italy began to depend on its production. A little later, England began to engage in the production of woolen linen, where profits from the manufacture and sale of wool became a significant part of the budget. The first English factory was located in Winchester. For illegal wool production, many were punished by cutting off their hands.

In 1966, wool production was curtailed due to low demand for fabric. But ten years later, in connection with the invention of a technology that made it possible to wash woolen products, interest in fabric returned.

Wool production

Today, there are several major wool producers in the world, these include:

• South Africa;
• Argentina;
• Australia;
• China.

The wool production technology includes four stages. First, shearing, then ranking and sorting, in the next step, yarn is created, in the final step, the fabric is made directly.

Sheep are sheared once a year, in early spring or summer. The best coat is considered to be the one that is cut from the sides and shoulders. Sheared wool can be called only one that is sheared from a healthy and live animal. This type is marked with a "wool label" established by the International Wool Commission.

The sorting and grading stage consists of removing dirty, damaged and low-grade wool, as well as selecting raw materials for fiber quality.

Then the wool is treated with a special detergent. This is done in order to remove yellowness and impurities from dirt and sand. When the fibers are dry, they are combed out with rollers that have fine teeth. The unraveled fibers are aligned into a sheet called a net. Later this net is knitted into ropes, they are called silver.

The dyeing of wool can be performed at any of the stages of production; also, at any of the stages, the fibers can be subjected to various influences that will give them the desired appearance and structure.

In order to give the wool fibers strength and density, they go through a felling process. It involves soaking the wool in water and then passing it through rollers.

How wool is produced

Features of use

In the modern world, wool is used for the manufacture of products such as:

• Sweaters
• Dresses
• Coat
• Costumes
• Jackets
• Pants
• Boot pads
• Scarves, hats, mittens
• Carpets and blankets

It is necessary to wash things made of woolen fabrics with products intended for wool, and only by hand. The temperature in this case should not exceed 30 degrees, and during washing, woolen products should not be twisted and rubbed.

Dry woolen items on a flat surface away from radiators and direct sunlight. It is necessary to iron the garments in the wool mode or with the moisturizing function.

If in the process of wearing some parts of the clothes that are exposed to friction or pressure become shiny, then the defect can be eliminated by steaming. After that, the product can be cleaned with a stiff brush with table salt or river sand.

Recently, there are fewer real woolen products on the markets, because it is cheaper for manufacturers to add additional synthetic materials to wool. But this does not mean that woolen items have lost their relevance. In winter, they are irreplaceable due to their versatility, breathability, elasticity and durability.

And you, of course, recognized this man in a sweater :)

Many things are made from different types of wool, from hats and suits to coats. These products are beautiful, soft, of high quality and require special care.

Features of the material and production technology

Wool is a type of fabric made by using raw materials that humans obtain from different types of animals. The most common "suppliers" are the following animals:

• sheep (lambs);
• merino;
• sheep (Shetland);
• cheviot;
• goats (cashmere, angora);
• rabbits (angora);
• camels;
• vigogne;
• alpaca.

Processing of different types of wool

The process of making wool includes the stages of preparation and weaving:

1. Rewinding woolen threads onto spools and removing foreign matter.
2. Impregnation with softening, adhesives (sizing, felting).
3. Threading the warp threads, distribution between the teeth.
4. Moistening, rewinding the weft threads.
5. Fabric finishing (dyeing, filing for embossing, welding for uniformity, washing from impurities and carbonation, rolling, naping, bleaching, decating (wet), drying, shearing, cleaning, finishing by heating with steam and cooling).

For your information! Some elements of the finishing stage are missing, since not all types of wool need to be bleached or brushed.

To reduce the cost of some types of raw materials, cotton, acrylic, silk, viscose or polyester fibers are added to wool. This allows you to give the fabric strength, durability, wear resistance.

In some cases, the answer to the question of what wool is made of includes lycra. A small amount is added to the fabric to increase stretch. In this case, the material becomes stretch and lycra is added to the description. Also, for greater elasticity, nylon is added to the wool. Often the ratio of synthetic threads and wool in the fabric is 70/30.

Pullover

Types of woolen fabrics and their properties

Modern industry is engaged in the manufacture of a large number of materials. They fall into two categories:

• pure wool - fabrics containing chemical fibers about 10%;
• half-woolen - fabrics including viscose, acrylic, nylon, polyester fibers about 80%.

Note! Currently, woolen fabric is produced with the addition of lavsan. As a result of its use, the properties of woolen fabric are improved: the degree of abrasion, creasing, and shrinkage are reduced. In this case, the products become tougher to the touch.

According to the choice and method of yarn processing, woolen fabrics are divided into the following varieties:

• worsted, obtained from combed twisted yarn. The result is a fluted wool. The main property of the fabric is surface smoothness;
• thin cloth with thick pile. The output is dense wool, due to which the fabric becomes warmer, but more susceptible to dirt and dust;
• coarse-woven with a soft or felt-forming surface. The fabric receives the properties of wear resistance, low drape and plasticity.

Different types of woolen products

By purpose, it is divided into three types:

• for coats;
• for suits;
• for dresses.

In addition, intermediate types of fabrics are distinguished, differing in the type of weaving of threads, density, types of processing, etc. Of these, different types of clothing and items for the home are also sewn.

Wool fabrics for women's clothing

For garments for women, the following types of fabric are most often used:

• plaid. This type of material is used in the production of skirts, dresses;
• reps is a fine wool that works well for suits, skirts, trousers. It almost does not wrinkle, is resistant to fading, abrasion, and other types of chemical exposure;
• crepe. The fabric is roughened by using twisted threads. The advantages of this plastic material are that it is great for sewing skirts, suits, dresses of different styles;
• jacquard (wool) is a fabric made from threads of different colors, due to which convex patterns appear on it. Jackets, suits, coats are sewn from it;
• jersey is a soft fabric that K. Chanel often used for her outfits;
• boucle is a loose thick fabric with a knotty type surface. The downside of this type of material is the difficulty in cutting and sewing.

Various woolen fabrics

For women's coats

For a coat, thick fabric with a high density, good thermal insulation and wear resistance is most often used. Gloss and gloss are not typical for such materials.

Women's sweater

For sewing a men's coat

For men, wool is used, the characteristics of which include the properties of density, weight. Often things are sewn from waterproof gabardine, tweed. Also often used is a fabric similar to that used in the sewing of women's coats.

Coat

For business suits

Business suits are almost always made from the same fabric as the coat. In addition, tweed is used, in which elements of colored yarn are present, due to which things look very fashionable and interesting.

Women costume

For children's clothing

Clothes for children are sewn from a soft look. The composition of the fabric includes different substances: viscose, linen, etc. Most often, things are made from bikes, velor, flannel, plush.

Baby bodysuits

Important! In some materials, semi-fine threads are used, in others, fabrics with a fleece or pile on both sides are used.

Application and care

Many wool fabrics, especially those made mostly of natural materials with minimal addition of synthetic fibers, require special care.

Before washing or cleaning woolen garments, it is best to look at the diagram on which manufacturers place all recommendations for caring for a thing. All information is in icon format.

Care of products

There are a number of rules, the observance of which will allow you to keep the thing in its original form for a long time:

• wool products are best washed by hand or on the most delicate cycle;
• to get rid of dirt on things, you need to use liquid cleaners designed specifically for such products;
• things cannot be twisted, rubbed, wrung out in the washing machine;
• it is necessary to dry on a horizontal surface away from the battery and other similar devices. Hanging things out in the sun is prohibited;
• it is often not necessary to iron the products (either on the “Wool” mode). You just need to hang them neatly on a hanger.

How to determine naturalness

There are three ways to determine the naturalness of woolen fiber: by visual signs, by touch, by the effect (how it will burn). Visually, you can distinguish natural fiber from an artificial lamp in the world. If you touch the product under the light of a light bulb, the synthetic material will spark. You can also see the thing in the light. Natural wool includes threads that are not uniform in thickness. In this case, synthetics have pellets, but wool does not. And the difference is visible to the naked eye.

Home suit

If you check by touch, you can find out the heat dissipation. A product made of natural wool, when it comes into contact with the skin, gives off warmth after five minutes. You can also rub the thing. Synthetic fabric will squeak and woolen fabric will not make a sound. You can also check the item by weight. Natural products are very light, while synthetic ones are heavy. In addition, when put on, a wool item immediately heats up.

The last option for testing is the impact on the test material. You can set the thread on fire with a match or lighter. When burning, the natural material exudes a slight smell of burnt hair. If the thread melts and smells like plastic, it's synthetic. This method is often used when presenting things.

Note! If you press down on the thing with your hand, a matte dent will remain on the woolen product, and a shiny, shiny mark on the synthetic one. When wet, the item will smell of wet wool in a special way.

Wool products will always be popular, despite the fact that there are many synthetic products on the market. They will help keep the body warm and give pleasant sensations.