What does wool fabric look like? Wool fabric: varieties, how to care

The perfection of modern technology helps a person to intensively use time-tested experience. Use is still in demand natural materials, despite discoveries in the production of artificial fibers.

The mechanization of wool processing and fabric production has not yet crossed the usual boundaries. Herds of animals continue to graze, serving as a source of raw materials for woolen fabrics, and the hands of shearers, armed with improved clippers, continue to remove the fleece from them.

and clothes made from it: how it all began

The first “costumes” made of wool were primitive and consisted of capes, bandages and leg wraps made from poorly dressed skins. Over time, the techniques of dressing leather with fur became more and more skillful and sophisticated, turning the skins into a kind of soft woven fabric.

Before the era of spinning, sheared wool was felted or felted (hence the word “felt”) - this technology is still used in the production of the famous Russian felt boots or, as they are also called, felted products. The products turned out to be rough, but warm.

The “tendency” of wool fibers to felting and shrinkage must be remembered when washing fabric. Wool does not like long soaking, high temperatures, contrast conditions, alkaline environments and curling.

The most important event for a person seeking salvation from the cold was the invention of the loom. The animals' fur was combed or collected after shedding, shaved with sharply sharpened knives, and later trimmed with scissors. Tangled tufts of wool were washed, cleared of debris, combed with special combs, dividing into individual strands.

Using a spinning wheel, a thread was twisted from the fibers onto a spindle, more or less thin, depending on the quality of the wool. From the resulting yarn, strips of fabric were collected using a loom, from which clothing could be made. The color of the finished material corresponded to the original raw material; over time, a variety of organic, mineral and vegetable dyes began to be used.

Wool and modernity

The described algorithm of actions has remained largely unchanged to this day. Carding machines, detergents, and weaving machines have become more advanced; breeds of sheep, goats and other animals have been bred through selection, producing remarkably beautiful, soft and fine wool.

Sheared fleece is used to make environmentally friendly fabrics for clothing in a wide range of densities and thicknesses. Adding synthetic fibers to wool makes the material wrinkle-resistant, more durable, and wear-resistant.

Finding out whether a fabric is made of wool is easy. By cutting off a small piece and setting it on fire, you will smell the burnt feather. The fibers of the fabric are sintered, forming an easily rubbed black lump.

Weaving machines are programmed to create complex weaves of threads and a variety of patterns and designs on the fabric; dyed fabrics do not change color after many washes. Knitting from wool yarn is one of the favorite handicrafts in the world, and knitted wool products are required part in every wardrobe.

Wool is a group of fabrics that are of natural origin, the source of which is animal hair. Wool fabrics can be presented in pure form or with various additives, both synthetic and natural. The main task of this fabric is thermal insulation properties.

A little bit of history

Once people were able to domesticate animals such as sheep and goats, they learned to use the animals' hair to produce wool. They knew how to use these raw materials in the most ancient times, but then there were no scissors, and instead of them special combs were used. Archaeological excavations indicate that wool appeared and was actively used as early as 1500 BC. Historians also claim that fibers of wild goat hair were found in prehistoric caves in Georgia. This find dates back to 34,000 BC.

Back in the days Ancient Rome wool, like flax, were in great demand and popular among all classes in Europe. Was especially popular wool, which was produced in Tarentum - due to its excellent properties due to the careful care of the animals.

Active trade in wool began only in the Middle Ages, and from the 13th century the economy of many countries, such as Italy and Benelux. After 100 years, Italy became the most developed in the production of woolen fabric. Soon, wool production began to gain momentum in England, and was a fairly important aspect of the development of the country's economy. The first English wool factory was built in the city of Winchester. In England there were quite harsh laws regarding the production of wool; for some time, smugglers were punished by cutting off their hands.

Woolen fabrics have been in great demand for quite a long time, but as technological progress develops and new synthetic materials appear, which are inferior in price and become more accessible, the demand for wool has fallen. In this regard, in 1966, wool production was reduced by 40%. In the 1970s, a new technology for producing washing wool appeared. When making such wool, the fiber was processed so that wool products could be machine washed. In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly declared that year the Year of Natural Fibers, which significantly increased the prestige and demand for natural wool fabrics.

About 270 thousand tons of sheep wool are produced annually in the world, with about a third of this amount coming from Australia, and the rest from the CIS countries, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, Uruguay, China, Turkey and USA .

Woolen fabrics, made from a mixture of long and short fibers, are soft (although they do not wrinkle) but do not retain a sharp fold. Worsted wool fabrics, or combed wool fabrics, are made from long fibers only. They are smooth, strong, quite durable, but acquire gloss in the process socks. Redesigned for the first time wool gives, as a rule, more durable and more elastic textile than other types of wool.

Wool is the hair of animals (sheep, goats, camels, etc.). The bulk of wool processed in industry is sheep. Types of wool fibers: fluff(the most valuable thin, soft crimped fiber), transitional hair, awn (thicker, stiffer and less crimped than fluff, fiber) and “dead hair” (low strength and hard). Wool is used to make yarn, fabrics, knitwear, felting products, etc.

Types of elite wool

Exists a large number of varieties of wool, but the most popular and significant is the group of elite types of wool.

So, currently the elite group includes:

Cashmere(“royal yarn”) is a rather refined, chic and expensive material, which consists of threads with a thickness of only 13-19 microns, which is much thinner than a human hair. Tender and soft material, looks quite expensive and beautiful, lightweight and able to retain heat. Material that does not cause allergies. Cashmere is made from the undercoat of the highland goat, which is a cashmere breed. The animal lives in Tibet and in the province of Kashmir, which is located between Pakistan and India. In addition, this breed of goats is bred in New Zealand, Scotland and Australia. Cashmere raw material consists of threads with a thickness of only 13-19 microns (human hair -50 microns), so touching cashmere creates a feeling of splendor.

Cashmere is so delicate that any shade in which it is dyed looks as if through a slight haze, very pleasant to the eye. To obtain fluff, the goat is not shorn, but is combed by hand once a year, in the spring, during molting. At the same time, one goat brings only 100-200 grams of fluff, and production costs coat 1.5-1.8 kg of cashmere linen is consumed, that is, 15 animals. This is one of the reasons for the very high price of 100% cashmere products. Another reason for the popularity and high cost of cashmere is its exceptional softness, lightness, ability to retain heat and the absence of allergic reactions to it.

The popularity of cashmere is constantly growing. Today, buyers choose cashmere as the best available on the market. It may be expensive, but the exceptional comfort it creates is attracting more and more fans of this material around the world.

Alpaca is a type of wool that is made from wool alpaca(a type of llama) that lives in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of 4000 meters. The wool of this animal is very expensive because alpaca- This is a rare animal, and it is sheared only once a year, receiving only 3.5 kg of wool from one animal. This type of wool is characterized by lightness and silkiness, lasts quite a long time and retains its unique silkiness properties. It has high thermoregulatory properties, durability, is resistant to stains and does not cause allergies. The material is quite smooth and pleasant to the body.

ALPACA is a type of llama. It lives in the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of 4000-5000m. in extreme conditions (bright sun, cold wind, sudden changes temperatures). The alpaca is a rare animal; its wool is expensive; alpacas are shorn, unlike sheep. once a year and receive only 3-3.5 kg of wool from one animal. has exceptional properties:

• ​it is light, soft, homogeneous and silky, retaining a unique silky shine throughout the life of the product; very warm (7 times warmer than sheep), with high thermoregulatory properties (it is warm in the cold and not hot in the warm);
• durable (3 times stronger than sheepskin), not subject to rolling, falling or jamming;
• resistant to contamination and does not cause allergic reactions;
• unlike the scaly and therefore prickly fibers of sheep wool, alpaca fibers are smooth and comfortable to the touch;
• it has the largest range of natural colors (22 shades: from black, gray, burgundy, brown, cream to white).

​No other type of wool has such qualities. All of these properties create a feeling of unique aesthetic and physical comfort for owners of alpaca wool products.

Suri- This is a type of wool that is particularly soft. Made from the wool of the Suri animal (a type of alpaca), very valuable and expensive wool. Many years ago, this wool was used to sew clothes only for royalty, and a little later for rich people. There are two known breeds of alpaca: HUAKAYA and SURI.

Compared to Huacaya, Suri fleece consists of longer and thinner fibers (19-25 microns) - these are uniform and thick curls, straight along the entire length and slightly curled at the ends, they do not contain guard hairs that reduce the quality of the fleece.

Suri wool is particularly soft and elegant. In the old days, it was used exclusively for royalty.

Depending on the thickness of the fibers, alpaca fleece is sorted into five quality categories.

The highest quality wool is the “BABY” type (20 microns). If the original fleece was Suri, then it represents the finest, rarest and most expensive alpaca wool, called “Baby Suri alpaca” - this is the highest quality alpaca in the world.

Angora- this is a type of wool, the material from which has a delicate pile and softness, but has a number of disadvantages, for example, the weak fixation of rabbit fluff in the yarn leads to rapid abrasion. Angora is produced from the fluff of Angora rabbits, which are bred in China, USA and many European countries. There are currently five breeds of Angora rabbits: Satin, English, Germanic, French and Giant breeds. Their difference is in color, size and length of down fibers.

ANGORA - These are Angora rabbits.

Once China in response to Turkey’s inflated prices for the sought-after wool of Angora goats, it released a softer and cheaper yarn called “Angora”. As it turned out, it was fluff wild rabbits called Angora. Under these conditions, the Turks called the wool of Angora goats “mohair,” which means “chosen” in Arabic. Subsequently, Angora rabbits began to be bred in Europe and the USA.

Angora rabbits are the most adorable of rabbits, reminiscent of a soft toy come to life. Currently, five breeds of Angora rabbits are commercially bred in the world: English, French, German, Giant and Satin. They differ in size and weight (2.5-5.5 kg), length of down fibers, thickness of guard hair, color, volume of wool produced annually (0.4-1.3 kg).

Angora wool exceptionally soft, very warm and fluffy, with a characteristic delicate pile. Products made from Angora wool create unique comfort and are therefore very popular and in demand. However, angora wool It also has its drawbacks: weak fixation of rabbit fluff in the yarn can cause abrasion of the fabric; the need to protect the Angora from excessive wetness and clean it only chemically. However, products made from high-quality angora can last for more than one year.

Merino wool is a type of wool, the material from which is made using very thin threads of 13.5-23 microns. It is characterized by excellent thermostatic properties, elasticity and does not cause allergic reactions. Made from wool from the withers of a Merino sheep. This animal is common in Asia, Western Europe, North America and Australia.

Camel's wool is a type of wool that is produced from the downy undercoat of the Bactrian camel, which is common in Central and East Asia. Camel's wool It is soft, silky, and also quite durable and elastic. This wool is characterized by resistance to stains, good thermoregulatory properties and the ability to self-clean. Besides, camel's wool does not cause allergies and has a beneficial effect on the skin, joints and blood vessels. They produce wool only in natural colors, since camel fluff cannot be processed chemicals.

Mohair is a type of wool that is produced from the wool of Angora goats, which live in Turkey, the United States and South Africa. Mohair is durable, light and natural. Characterized by a silky shine, durability and abrasion resistance. Mohair is divided into three types: the wool of a young goat up to 6 months old, the wool of a kid up to 2 years old, and the wool of adult goats. Natural color of mohair white, but is easily stained. Products made from mohair require careful and delicate care and storage. It is not recommended to expose mohair products to high temperatures.

MOHAIR is the wool of Angora goats that live in Turkey (Angora province), South Africa and the USA. Moreover, more than 60% of the world's mohair is produced in South Africa.

Mohair is a luxurious natural fiber. This is one of the warmest and most durable natural materials, while being exceptionally light and silky. Its natural shine is stable and durable, it does not disappear after dyeing. No other wool has such a magnificent long pile with a stable and long-lasting natural shine.

Mohair comes in three main types:

• The wool of a young goat up to 6 months old (Kid Mohair), obtained during the first shearing. This is a thin (23-27 microns) and soft fiber 100-150 mm long. Kid Mohair of the highest selected quality is called Super Kid - the thinnest and most delicate fiber, silky and luxurious to the touch.
• The wool of a kid up to 2 years old (Going Mohair), obtained after the second haircut. It is also soft and thin.
• The wool of adult goats (Adult Mohair), it is thicker (30 microns) and coarser than the others.

Luxury yarn is made from the first two types of mohair. Mohair from adult goats is used, in particular, in the production of outerwear.

The wool of Angora goats is uniform and usually white, which is especially valued due to its ability to easily be dyed in any color: from soft pastels to the most rich.

Dyed mohair looks bright and at the same time natural. Its natural shine does not disappear after painting, and the colors do not fade or fade for many years.

Products made from mohair require delicate storage and careful care. They should be hung on hangers to avoid wrinkles, not exposed to high temperatures and dried at room temperature; clean only with a dry method, not forgetting that chemical treatment can shorten their service life.

Lama is a type of wool that is made from the hair of a llama native to Peru. It is characterized by softness, lightness, good thermal insulation properties and does not cause allergies or skin irritation. The natural colors of the llama range from white to dark brown; they can be easily painted, but only with natural paints.

LAMA (LAMA) - as well as Alpaca, comes from Peru. It has been used for a long time as a pack animal, so today there are llamas with both thin, elastic hair and coarse hair, which requires selection of animals before shearing or combing.

Llama wool is a protein fiber that does not contain natural oils or lanolin. It has a complete base structure and consists of two layers: the top protective hair and the undercoat (down). The top hair is thick and does not curl. Its share is up to 20%. The undercoat is soft and luxurious, 20-40 microns thick. It is used to make luxury clothing. When fully trimmed, both layers are removed and the coat is cleared of protective hair. When combing, I only get the undercoat. During processing, llama wool retains 90-93% of its original weight. The range of wool types and llama populations is very wide, which requires its selection for a specific type of product.

Llama wool is distinguished by its lightness and softness, its ability to perfectly retain heat (thermal capacity) and provide comfort over a wide range of temperatures (thermostaticity). It does not cause allergic reactions, is able to repel water and, unlike other types of wool, regulate its humidity in a range convenient for humans.

Llama fur has an exceptional variety of natural shades: from white, ash pink, light brown, gray and silver to dark brown and black. White wool dyes well. When painting, only natural paints are used.

Merino wool

MERINO WOOL (MERINOS) is wool taken from the withers of a Merino sheep. Merinos, a breed of fine-wool sheep, whose homeland is considered to be Western Asia. Subsequently, they spread to Western Europe, North America and Australia.

Today in Australia alone there are about 150 million merino sheep, with one sheep on average producing up to 15 kg of wool per year (other breeds of sheep 6-7 kg). The yield of pure wool is 35-45%.

Merino wool is homogeneous and consists of very thin (13.5-23 microns) and soft downy fibers (in coarse-haired breeds 23-35 microns). It is long (annual coat length 6-8 cm), white, warm, and has excellent thermostatic properties. Due to natural curls, it is elastic. It is important that it does not irritate the skin.

Merino wool is more expensive than regular wool. The price of the best lots of this wool (14-16 microns) at annual auctions reached several thousand dollars per kilogram.

CAMEL WOOL (CAMEL) is the downy undercoat of the non-working Bactrian camel (Bactrian), living in Central and East Asia. The most valuable wool is the Mongolian Bactrian.

The camel's coat consists of outer coarse hair (25-100 microns) and inner soft fluff (17-21 microns), accounting for 80-85% of the volume. It is he who is called " camel's wool" Once a year it is collected (or combed) in the amount of 4-9 kg from one camel, sorted by color and composition, after which the thinnest and softest fluff sent to fabric production. For the production of high-quality fabrics, the lightest and thinnest materials are usually used. fluff young camels (up to one year).

Camel's wool light (twice lighter than sheep), soft and silky, but at the same time, the most durable and elastic. It is practical to wear, resistant to contamination and self-cleaning. It is the warmest and at the same time an excellent heat insulator, maintaining a constant body temperature at different conditions. It protects well from moisture, and is also able to absorb and quickly evaporate it, leaving the body dry. You will never sweat in clothes made of camel wool. In addition, it does not cause allergies and is able to relieve static tension.

Camel wool has unique healing and health properties. Since ancient times, it has served as a cure for many diseases (more than 40). Its dry heat and the organic substances it contains have a beneficial effect on the skin, muscles and joints, improve blood circulation, promote vasodilation, activate metabolism and restoration processes in tissues. Colds, osteochondrosis, radiculitis, rheumatism, excess weight- this is only a small part of the ailments that it can protect and relieve

Popular wool fabrics and their uses

Currently, there are many woolen fabrics, both pure and with impurities. Wool fabrics have a variety of uses, depending on the density of the fabric, weave and even color. The most commonly used fabrics are:

Properties and care of wool

Woolen fabrics have the following characteristics: they practically do not wrinkle, get dirty a little, and are quite elastic. In addition, woolen fabrics are wear and abrasion resistant and perfectly absorb water and steam. Natural wool without synthetic impurities does not burn, but smolders, and is considered a light and versatile material.

Wool fabric is easy to iron - just hang the wool product in a room with high humidity. However, woolen fabrics tend to mat the fibers, so they must be washed using special detergents at a water temperature of no more than 300C. Wool fabrics are not recommended to be rubbed or twisted, and should be dried on a flat surface, avoiding direct sunlight and heat. Ironing wool products is necessary with the dampening function.

How to care for woolen items?

Woolen items cannot be washed in hot water, since this will quickly cause them to lose their shape and the wool will become matted. Ideally, the water temperature for washing should not be higher than 30 degrees. For washing, use detergents intended for wool products; do not use chlorine bleaches or other aggressive detergents. Add conditioner to the water - it will make the wool softer.

It is not advisable to soak woolen items before washing unless there is an urgent need for it, and in general, the less such an item spends in water, the better. It is better to use soft water for washing, so if you can soften the pH level of the water, then be sure to do so. Replace quickly hot water It is not allowed to be cold either during washing or during rinsing. This can cause the item to shrink a lot.

Drying, ironing and storage

After washing, wool products should not be wrung out or twisted too much, as this can lead to their deformation. For the same reason, woolen items should not be dried by hanging them on a line, as there is a risk that they will stretch too much. You need to dry the wool in a horizontal position on a towel or sheet. In this case, the thing will not lose its shape. Also, do not dry wool items in direct sunlight.

You can iron woolen items, but only through a layer of gauze if you have a regular iron. If the iron is steam, then iron in a special mode “ wool"with the addition of steam. However, you shouldn’t get too carried away with ironing; try to do it as little as possible.

You need to store woolen items in places where there are no moths. The wool needs to be aired periodically to prevent it from becoming stale. You cannot constantly store such clothes on hangers, as they can stretch out and lose their shape. It is better to store it in a chest of drawers, rolled up in plastic bags. Remember that if you care for woolen items correctly, they will not lose their attractive appearance for a long time, and from them socks you will receive only positive emotions.

If you believe Darwinian scientists, for hundreds of thousands of years the only “clothing” of ancient man was thick hair, to put it simply - wool. Human hair is our first clothing, the same wool, this substance of protein nature, the closest and dearest to us.

Wool are a group of natural textile fabrics, for the production of which the hair of various animals is used. Wool fabric has been and remains one of the most expensive materials with exceptional properties.

Short story

Since man was able to domesticate goats and sheep, raw materials for the production of wool have become readily available - wool and felt have been used by the most ancient civilizations. Some archaeological excavations indicate that wool was known as early as 1500 BC. Wool fibers from wild goats have been found in prehistoric caves in the Republic of Georgia and date back as far as 34,000. BC.!

During the times of Ancient Rome, wool, along with leather and linen, was popular in Europe. The records of Pliny the Elder noted that the inhabitants of Tarentum were considered to have the best reputation for wool producers, where, thanks to special care, they bred sheep with excellent wool.

In the Middle Ages, the wool trade became a serious business and the main generator of capital formation. From the 13th century, the economy of the Benelux countries and Central Italy depended on this; by the end of the next century, Italy began to predominate, until in the 16th century it reoriented itself to silk. The development of industry was based on the English raw material export of wool. The main competitor was Castile. And Britain introduced export duties on wool in 1275.

Since the 14th century, the presiding officer of the House of Lords has sat on the " wool bag- a chair “stuffed” with wool. It was a kind of symbol of the importance of wool for the development of the English economy.

Over the centuries, various British laws controlled the wool trade or required the use of wool even in burials. Smugglers were once punished by having their hands cut off. After the Restoration era, fine English wool began to compete with silk on the international market.

As technological progress developed and synthetic fabrics appeared on world markets, the demand for woolen fabrics began to fall.

The collapse of wool prices began in late 1966 with a 40% drop. The result was a sharp reduction in production and redirection Money in the development of production of other goods.

In the early 70s, technology for the production of so-called washable wool appeared - the fiber was specially processed in such a way that the products could already be machine washed.

In December 2006, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2009 is the International Year of Natural Fibers , which significantly increased the prestige of woolen fabrics and other natural fibers.

In 2007, Japanese specialists developed a wool suit that is easy to wash, dries within a few hours and does not require ironing. Australian merino wool was used in this development.

Properties and composition of wool

Wool fabric is divided into two main types: woolen And wool blend. The first one is made 100% from wool yarn. To increase elasticity, up to 10% of other fibers are sometimes allowed to be introduced. The second may include other natural threads (for example, cotton, silk) and synthetic ones, and their content reaches up to 80%. The properties of various fabrics depend on their composition. However, there are some characteristics that are common to all canvases to one degree or another.

Wool- owner unique properties, which makes it a leader among fabrics for sewing warm clothes:

• wool fabric practically does not wrinkle
• hardly gets dirty
• absorbs water well
• very strong and durable
• retains heat perfectly
• does not cause allergies

Of the minuses:

• Low abrasion resistance. Areas exposed to the greatest friction in woolen products are wiped very quickly.
• High price.

The most popular types of wool fabrics are:

• Boucle- dense matter, the surface of which resembles nodules. Bouclé suits used to be very popular.
• Bike- thin, with one-sided fleece. Widely used for sewing blankets and demi-season coats.
• Velours- fabric with pile. It is most often used as furniture upholstery; sometimes jackets and outerwear are made from it.
• Gabardine- dense fabric, however, quite light and with good water-repellent properties. Raincoats and summer coats are often made from it.
• Reps- dense woolen material.
• Jersey- knitted material for sewing clothes.
• Cloth- dense, heavy fabric, from which outerwear is often sewn.
• Felt- obtained by felting wool (felting). Shoes, clothes, and toys are made from felt. Recently, this type of needlework has become very popular.
• Flannel- thin, with double-sided combing. It is loose and does not hold its shape well, however, it is widely used for sewing warm bed linen and children's clothing and dresses.
• Tweed- soft melange fabric used for sewing outerwear.
• Plaid- a well-known checkered wool fabric. Popular for sewing men's shirts, women's suits and dresses.
• Drape- heavy, dense fabric used for sewing coats.
• Cashmere- one of the most expensive textile materials. This is a dense material, from which outerwear, scarves, stoles, and jackets are often sewn.

The most common types of wool used for fabric production:

• Mohair- obtained from the hair of goats living in Turkey, South Africa, and the USA. Products made from mohair are the most delicate and require special care.
• Alpaca, llama, suri- all these types are made from llama wool, but from different types.
• Merino- from sheep hair.
• camel
• Angora- obtained from the wool of the Angora rabbit.

There are such types of wool:

• Natural- clipped directly from animals or collected during molting.
• Factory- removed from animal skins.
• Restored- obtained by splitting wool flaps and scraps of yarn.

Depending on the type of yarn and production methods fabric can be:

• Worsted- it consists of fine yarn, semi-fine and semi-coarse. The result is a thin fabric used for sewing suits and dresses.
• Thin cloth. This fabric uses fine hardware yarn.
• Rough cloth- it contains dense hardware yarn.

Read how to care for woolen products.

Interesting facts about wool:

• Sheep wool is stronger than steel wire of the same diameter.
• Fire-resistant materials for insulating houses are made from wool (glass wool is an analogue of such insulation) - wool does not burn, but smolders, preventing the fire from spreading.
• The fur has a heterogeneous structure. Thanks to this quality, wool products do not harbor microbes and do not retain dust and dirt. Simply put, there is no need to wash wool items often.
• There are disposable woolen clothing. A whim of the rich, you say? No, this is dictated by necessity: such clothes are worn by workers in the aluminum industry, because splashes of molten metal do not stick to them. But you won’t be able to use woolen clothes a second time: after washing they will lose their magical properties, and besides, he’ll sit down.
• Until the 18th century, exporting merino sheep outside the borders of Spain, which for many centuries had a monopoly on the production of wool from these sheep, was punishable by death. It was only in 1723 that a small number of merino sheep were legally exported outside the country. The first 70 heads arrived in Australia in 1788.
• In Mongolia, sheep skins are still used to care for premature babies. It has been noticed that when a baby is laid on sheep's wool, he becomes quiet and calms down. In children, prickly heat disappears, the skin becomes less dry, and no allergic reactions occur. Tests show that products made from lamb skin are comfortable and safe for children; children quickly get used to it and their sleep becomes restful and long. Soft sheep fur constantly provides a light massage that is effective.
• Princely children were seated on sheep's clothing immediately after their first haircut.
• Woolen fabric tweed was invented in Scotland, and it was originally called " twill". The letter at the end of the name changed by accident: one London merchant, having received a letter with an offer to buy a batch of fabric, misunderstood the word. He perceived it as trademark, which takes its name from the Scottish River Tweed, which flows through the region with numerous textile factories. Since then, the name has been assigned to the fabric tweed.

1. Morphological structure wool fiber. The wool consists of a shaft, a root and a bulb.
Kernel- the keratinized part of the wool fiber located above the surface of the skin. Wool as a raw material consists of rods cut close to the skin.
Root- the living part of the hair, located in the thickness of the skin and adjacent to the shaft on one side and to the bulb on the other.
Bulb- the lower part of the hair root, located deep in the root sheath on the papilla that feeds it. In the bulb, due to cell proliferation, wool fiber grows.
2. Histological structure wool fiber. Wool fibers of all types consist of scaly and cortical layers, and in the transitional, covering dead hair and spine there is also a core layer.
Scaly layer(cuticle), forming the outer surface of the fiber, protects it from the effects of mechanical, chemical and biological factors environment, affects the shine and feelability of wool.
The scaly layer consists of many flat, corrugated, irregularly shaped horny scales, overlapping one another. The location of the scales can be:
- ring-shaped, in which each scale forms a complete ring around the hair. This shape is typical for down;
- ring-network when the scales on the surface of the fiber are arranged in the form of a mesh and placed in rows, which is typical for semi-fine wool;
- reticulate- scales form an irregularly shaped mesh on the surface of the fiber; The guard fibers have this arrangement of scales.
There are 10-12 scales per 100 microns of length of merino fiber, 6-7 scales of cashmere goat down.
The scaly layer makes up 2-3% of the mass of sheep wool fiber.
Cortical layer is located directly under the scaly one and makes up the bulk of the fiber. It consists of spindle-shaped polyhedral cells. The cells of the cortex contain granules of the melanin pigment.
The cortical layer contains the main amount of sulfur. This layer determines the main properties of wool: strength, elongation, elasticity, etc.
In downy fibers the proportion of the cortical layer reaches 90%, in the spine - 60-70, and in dead hair - only 5-6%.
Core layer- this is a cavity inside the fiber filled with dried cells and air. The presence of a core reduces the strength of the fiber, but increases its heat-shielding properties. Down has no core.
3. Types of wool fibers. By appearance And technical properties The following types of fibers are distinguished.
Down, or undercoat, is the thinnest and most crimped of wool fibers: the thickness of most of them ranges from 15 to 30 microns. The wool of fine-wool sheep consists entirely of downy fibers. In coarse-wool and wild sheep, downy fibers form the lower, shorter layer of wool, invisible from the outside, called undercoat.
In terms of technical properties, down belongs to the most valuable fibers.
Ost- slightly crimped, sometimes almost straight, thick, coarse fibers, as a rule, longer than down, and therefore form the upper visible tier of the coat. Guard fibers are an essential component of the wool of coarse and semi-coarse wool sheep.
In terms of technical properties, awn is much worse than down. Its technical merit increases as the fiber thickness decreases, which ranges from 30 to 120 microns.
Transitional or intermediate hair is a cross between awn and down. Transitional hair mixed with awn and down is part of the wool of coarse-wool sheep. The wool of semi-fine fleece sheep consists almost entirely of it (or mixed with down).
In terms of technical properties, transitional hair is much better than awn hair, and the smaller its fineness, the closer it is to fluff in terms of technical properties.
Dead hair- very coarse and brittle guard fiber. Unlike all other types of wool fibers, it breaks when bent and quickly breaks when stretched. In woolen products it quickly deteriorates and does not stain when dyed.
There is no dead hair in the wool of fine-fleece sheep, and it is rarely found in semi-fine-fleece wool.
Any wool containing dead hair is classified by the wool processing industry as lower grades.
Dry hair- coarse spine, characterized by high rigidity of the outer ends of the fibers. It differs from the usual awn in less shine and some fragility. Found in the wool of most coarse-wool sheep.
Covering hair- straight, very hard, with a strong shine. In thickness and structure it is close to the spine. Due to the inclined location of the roots in the skin, the covering hairs form a smooth covering on its surface, in which one hair lies on top of the other and covers it. This arrangement of the covering hairs makes it impossible to cut them. This hair grows on the limbs, head, and occasionally on the tail.
Based on the composition of the fibers that form it, wool is divided into two groups - homogeneous and heterogeneous.
Homogeneous wool consists of fibers that are identical in appearance, length, fineness and other properties.
The following types are classified as uniform wool:
- thin, uniform wool, the average fiber fineness of which does not exceed 25 microns;
- semi-fine, uniform wool with a fineness of 25.1-31.0 microns;
- semi-coarse uniform wool with a fineness of wool fibers of 31.1-40.0 microns;
- coarse, uniform wool, consisting of a thin spine without a core, with a fineness in the range of 40.1-67.0 microns, characteristic of English longhaired breeds.
Helter-skelter wool is a mixture of hair, transition fibers and fluff. This wool is divided into semi-coarse and coarse, which consist of the named types of fibers. The difference is that semi-coarse wool contains more grease, while coarse wool often contains dry and dead hair.
4. Fineness of wool. The most important property of wool as a raw material for industry is its fineness (thickness). The fineness of wool is judged by the cross-sectional dimensions of the wool fiber, expressed in micrometers (1 µm = 10v-6m).
It should be noted that there is a very large amplitude of fluctuations in the diameter of sheep wool fibers. Among the thinnest fibers of merino wool, there are individual specimens with a cross-section of 5 microns, while the thickest fibers can often have a diameter of more than 160 microns, for example, in dead hair up to 240 microns.
The finest fluff known to date was obtained from wild mouflon sheep and Kashmir goats (8-12 microns), and the coarsest hair in the mouflon coat reached a diameter of 258 microns.
Different types of sheep wool fibers have different finenesses (Table 42).

Due to the existence of the above-mentioned types of wool fibers, their quantitative ratio in wool fleeces of varying degrees of homogeneity can vary quite significantly. Table 43 shows the data on the proportional distribution by fiber fineness of heterogeneous crossbred wool of the 1st grade.
The table data shows that heterogeneous wool mainly consists of downy and transitional fibers (91.2%). At the same time, it also contains guard fibers of varying thickness, up to 176 microns.
The distribution curve of fibers in heterogeneous coarse wool according to their fineness is presented more clearly in Figure 34.

The figure clearly shows that the peak of the curve, which represents the zone of down fibers with a fineness of 7.5-30.0 μm, is shifted to the extreme left position. The right part of the curve, smoothly descending, extends up to a value of 210 µm.
At the same time, the typical distribution curve of fibers of homogeneous fine wool of 64 quality according to fineness has a rather different appearance, approaching in shape to the normal distribution due to the decrease in its right branch.

The figure shows that the bulk of uniform wool fibers is located in a very narrow zone between 15.0 and 35.0 microns, accounting for more than 80 percent of all fibers. The entire spectrum of all classes of fineness of uniform wool 64 quality occupies only about 25% of the entire spectrum of classes of heterogeneous wool. This indicates that even uniform wool is not completely equal in fineness. As for solid fleece, even the best fine-fleeced sheep breeds produce fleece, in different parts of which the wool is always of different fineness, and the classification of fleeces as equalized or unequalized is conditional. Wool of unequal fineness grows on different parts of the sheep's body (Fig. 35, Table 44).

In queens, the average fineness of the wool of all zones of the fleece is somewhat less, but the range of its fluctuations in all zones, that is, the unevenness of the wool, is significantly greater than that of rams - from 12.4 to 46.5 microns.
The fineness of wool is most often characterized by the arithmetic average of the diameters of the fibers in micrometers or assessed in conventional indicators - fineness classes, called qualities, which are designated by two-digit numbers. Each number corresponds to a certain wool fineness in micrometers. The essence of this classification, called Bradford, is as follows. Yarn is prepared from washed combed wool (tops) and divided into skeins of 512 m each. The number of skeins that can be produced from 1 English pound (453.6 g) of wool is called quality. The finer the wool, the more skeins of yarn you will get and the higher the numerical designation of the class of fineness, i.e. quality, and vice versa.

Table 45 presents the classification of uniform wool by fineness adopted in Russia. It should be noted that wool as an array of individual wool fibers (fleece) with an average fineness of 90 quality (11.2-14.4 microns) and 28 quality (67.1-125.0 microns) exists only theoretically, since recently It does not occur in practice in Russia. At the same time, individual very thin fibers up to 7.5 microns in diameter can be found in the staple of both homogeneous and heterogeneous wool.

5. Wool crimp. The crimp of wool is quite closely related to fineness - its ability to form curls.
The shape and degree of tortuosity are distinguished.
The shape of the fiber crimp is determined by the ratio of the length of the base of the curl arc and the height of the arc. The following forms of tortuosity are distinguished: 1) smooth, 2) stretched, 3) flat, 4) normal, 5) compressed, 6) high, 7) looped.
Increased crimp, especially loop crimp, complicates the process of carding wool, leads to fiber breakage and reduces yarn yield.
The degree of crimp of wool fibers is characterized by the number of curls per 1 cm of their length. Fibers of fine merino wool have 7-12 curls per 1 cm of length, semi-fine wool - 2-5, guard fibers - 1, dead hair is curled even less. The covering hair has no crimp. It can be seen that the finer the wool, the stronger its crimp. The elasticity of the fabric, its rolling capacity and elasticity depend on the crimp of the fibers.

Table 46 shows the relationship between fineness and crimp of Australian Merino and crossbred wool.
6. Wool fiber length. This is the second most important physical and mechanical property of wool and the most important breeding trait for sheep. There are natural and true fiber lengths.
Natural length is the length of a bundle of wool fibers (staple or braid) while maintaining the crimp or waviness of the wool. In a braid of heterogeneous wool, the length of the spine and the down layer are measured separately. According to the standard, the length of heterogeneous wool is determined by the downy zone. The natural length of fine, uniform wool is also called staple height.
True Length- the length of wool fibers in a straightened state from crimp, but not stretched.

Natural length wool is measured when grading sheep; the true length appears mainly in technological processes.
Measurements of wool from five fine-fleeced sheep breeds (Altai, Grozny, Caucasian, Stavropol, Soviet merino) showed that the true length compared to the natural one increases for wool of 70 quality by 36%, 64 quality - by 28% and 60 quality - by 26%.
In addition to the average length of the coat, its very important property is the uniformity (unevenness) of the length of the coat. Unevenness along the length of wool is divided into several components: between individual fibers within a staple, between individual staples in a fleece, and between fleeces in a flock. Australian researchers have shown that merino and crossbred wool are characterized by the following relationship between various components unevenness of fur along its length:
between fibers in staple - 80%
between staples in a fleece - 10%
between runes in a flock - 10%
total - 100%
The uniformity of the wool fibers in the staple is of greatest importance. In a staple of fine wool, to the naked eye, all fibers appear to be the same length. However, when individual fibers are removed from the staple and their length is measured, it turns out that they have different lengths. In coarse and semi-coarse wool, the unevenness of fibers along the length is expressed especially sharply, since each braid has a long spine and shorter fluff. Differences in the length of fibers in the staple (bundle) of wool of different types are clearly visible in the graphic staple diagrams shown in Figure 36.
This figure shows graphical staple diagrams of different types of sheep wool - fine, semi-coarse and coarse. To construct a diagram, all fibers included in a bundle weighing 2-3 g are divided into classes. Each class includes fibers whose length ranges from 10 mm for fine wool, 20 mm for semi-coarse wool, and 25 mm for coarse wool.
The staple diagram allows you to determine the average length of the fibers and the coefficient of their unevenness along the length. The figure shows that fine wool is the most equal in length, while coarse wool has the greatest disparity.
Individual differences in wool length of sheep are subject to very large fluctuations: in many cases they exceed breed differences within one direction of sheep breeding.
There are also gender differences in the length of wool - in rams it is longer than in queens.
Breed differences in coat length are very significant. The shortest and thinnest wool was produced by the old-type German electoral merino sheep when shearing only 0.14-0.50 kg of pure wool. The length of such wool was 3-4 cm. In modern Russian merino sheep of the five main breeds, the natural length of the wool is 66-92 mm, the true length is 89.2-114.3 mm. In Australian Merinos (queens), it varies, decreasing with age (2-8 years) from 10.8 cm to 9.4 cm. The longest wool is obtained from sheep of semi-fine wool breeds. The wool of Lincoln sheep reaches 30-40 cm. The length of the coarse wool of the spring shear can range from 7 to 25 cm or more.
The length of the wool, along with its fineness, is of paramount production importance - the longer the wool, the greater its mass.
Depending on the length, all homogeneous wool is divided into worsted and cloth.
Worsted (combed) wool is usually 5.5 cm or more in length; used to produce smooth, unfelted fabrics with a clearly visible weave pattern of the threads from which the fabric is woven. This includes fabrics ranging from the finest dresses weighing 60-116 g per 1 linear meter and ending with costume fabrics weighing 400-450 g/meter. Worsted fabrics are in greatest demand among the population. The name “worsted” comes from two German words: kamm - comb and wolle - wool.
Cloth (hardware) wool should be shorter than 5.5 or even 2.5 cm in length. Such wool is used for the production of felted, often fleecy fabrics, on the surface of which the threads from which the cloth is woven are completely invisible. This wool is also used for the production of knitted products.
In the felting industry, even the shortest pieces of wool fibers are used - shorter than 1 cm.
An important, but not sufficiently studied, issue is the growth rate of wool, i.e., the increase in the length of its fibers per unit time. It has been established that factors influencing the rate of wool growth include: gender, age of animals, conditions of their keeping and feeding, climate, and frequency of haircuts. In sheep of fine-wool breeds, wool grows relatively slowly: 0.5-1.0 cm per month. The wool of semi-fine-wool, semi-coarse-wool and coarse-wool sheep grows much faster: 1-3 cm per month. Therefore, coarse wool sheep are usually shorn twice a year.
If fine-wool sheep are not sheared for several years in a row, then the rate of wool growth gradually decreases: in the first year, the length of the wool reaches 7-8 cm or more, in the second year it increases by about 5-6 cm, in the third year - by 2-3 cm per year.
Figure 37 shows the change in wool length in semi-fine wool lambs from birth to 13 months of age. The most intensive hair growth is observed in the period from birth to 4 months, when the length of the hair increases by 1.3 cm per month, later (4-13 months) the growth rate of wool decreases to 0.7 cm per month.

7. Strength (strength) of wool fiber. Strength is understood as the force required to break a single fiber or bundle of wool fibers. There are absolute and relative (specific) strengths.
Absolute strength is determined by the force expended or load under which the wool fiber breaks. In the SI system, absolute strength is expressed in newtons (N), centinewtons (cN) or millinewtons (mN). Previously, according to the MKGSS system, it was designated as kilogram-force (kgf, 1 kgf = 9.80665 N or 1 N = 1.02 kgf).
The absolute strength of a single fiber, other things being equal, depends on its fineness (Table 47).

The table data shows that there is a direct and fairly close relationship between the absolute strength of wool fiber and its fineness. The thicker the fiber, the higher, other things being equal, its strength in centinewtons and grams. The absolute strength of sheep wool fibers of the most common fineness classes is in the range of 3.9-62.0 centinewtons or 4.9-57.2 grams. The guard fibers have a strength of 40-70 g, and the exceptionally strong and coarse guard fibers of camel wool, with a fineness of 80-90 microns, reach a strength of 100 g or more.
Relative strength characterized by the magnitude of the breaking force per unit cross-sectional area of ​​the wool fiber, and is expressed according to the SI system in pascals (1 Pa = 1 newton per 1 m2) or according to the MKGSS system - in kgf/mm2.
In the practice of wool science, instead of relative (specific) strength, the determination of the breaking length of wool fiber is used. The breaking length is the conditional length of the fiber in kilometers at which it, being suspended at one end, breaks from its own mass. The breaking length of an individual wool fiber ranges from 5 to 25 km.
Wool different breeds sheep in terms of breaking length has significant fluctuations (Table 48).

Recently, the breaking length is expressed in centinewtons per tex (cN/tex). Tex is understood as the fineness of the fiber, expressed as the ratio of the mass of the fiber (wool) to its length (1 tex = 1 g/km). The breaking length, expressed in cN/tex, is called the breaking load. The conversion factor km to cN/tex is 0.98.
Wool is considered normal in strength if its breaking load (cN/tex) is at least: for fine wool - 7, for semi-fine - 8, for semi-coarse and coarse - 9, or 6.7, respectively; 7.8; 8.8 km.
8. Extensibility (elongation) of the fiber. Extensibility is understood as the property of wool fiber to increase its length, i.e. stretch under the action of tearing forces. The difference between the true length of the wool fiber and its length at break, expressed as a percentage of the true fiber length, is called total elongation. The value of the relative total elongation per unit load characterizes the elongation. The elongation coefficient shows the increase in fiber length under a load of 1 kgf or 1 N per 1 mm2 of its cross-section and is expressed as a percentage.
Table 49 shows the elongation coefficients of wool fibers of different fineness.

From the data in the table it can be seen that, in general, as the fineness of wool fibers increases, their elongation coefficient increases. However, three stages can be distinguished in this dynamic.
Extensibility increases most rapidly with increasing fineness of the thinnest fibers, then there is a stage of smooth, but slower, increase in extensibility with an increase in fiber diameter to 40 microns, and then an increase in fiber diameter does not lead to an increase in their extensibility. This is most clearly shown in Figure 38.

Along with the peculiar nature of the change in the tensile strength of fibers as their diameter increases, showing that for fibers with a fineness of 40 microns and higher, tensile strength not only does not increase, but even tends to decrease, the figure shows a graph of changes in fiber strength.
A very clear, slightly parabolic, almost linear, dependence of the absolute strength of wool fibers on their diameter (fineness) is clearly visible. It should be noted that the increase in fiber strength is even somewhat faster than the increase in their fineness.
Wool fibers have higher elongation than other textile fibers. So, if the elongation of homogeneous wool fibers is in the range of 20.0-67.5%, then cotton nylon is 6.9-7.2%.
9. Firmness, elasticity. Elasticity refers to the resistance of a fiber to compression, the ability to restore its original shape and size in whole or in part after the cessation of the force that disrupted it.
Elasticity is the speed at which wool restores its original shape.
The elasticity and elasticity of wool determine such qualities of woolen fabrics as strength, wear resistance, the ability to maintain its original appearance, and for knitted products - the ability to stretch freely.
10. Hygroscopicity- this is the property of wool to absorb moisture from the environment; in this case, the wool mass can increase quite significantly (even by 50%). With the absorption of moisture, wool fibers swell, increasing in diameter by 17.5% and in length by 1.2-1.8%. The absorption of moisture and increase in the moisture content of the wool is accompanied by the release of heat. Hygroscopicity is a very important property of wool, helping to maintain the warmth of the human body when it moves to more humid and cold conditions.
11. Wool moisture. The moisture content of wool refers to the amount of water it contains. This means water that enters the wool from the air and is retained in it mechanically, rather than entering into the wool. chemical composition wool fiber substances.
The moisture content of wool largely depends on its hygroscopicity. The ability of wool fiber to absorb water and change its linear parameters is used to measure humidity atmospheric air using hair hygrometers.
The amount of moisture in wool is affected by the relative humidity of the air, temperature and speed of air movement. In winter, wool has more moisture than in summer. The moisture content of wool also depends on a number of physical factors: grease content, oiliness, the presence of mineral impurities, etc.
The moisture content of wool is of very serious importance in all operations related to taking into account its mass in all wool trading and technological practice, as well as in monetary calculations, taking into account the adjustment of the actual mass of a particular batch of wool.
Compared to other textile fibers, wool is characterized by the highest hygroscopic capacity and moisture content under standard conditions, namely at a temperature of 20 ° C and air humidity of 65% (%):
fine wool - 17.0
coarse wool - 14.0
flax - 12.0
viscose - 12.0
silk - 11.0
acetate fiber - 6.0
nylon, nylon - 4.5
nitron - 1.0
lavsan - 0.3
Increased humidity, and therefore the ability to absorb moisture (sweat), suggests that wool is the best textile fiber in terms of creating comfortable living conditions for humans.
12. Color and shine of wool. The color of wool is determined by the presence of tiny pigment grains of melanin in the cells of the cortical layer of wool fiber. The main colors of wool fibers are white, black, red, gray. There is also a range of other shades available. From a technological point of view, white wool is the most valuable, since products made from it can be dyed any color.
The color of unwashed wool differs from its color after washing, and the more it contains grease and contaminants, the more so.
Under the influence of certain factors, white wool fibers become yellow or even brown.
In many countries with tropical climates, yellowing of the coat remains a serious problem. In India, where this problem receives special attention, more than 30% of the wool produced is yellowed wool. Such wool costs 12-34% less than white wool. Products made from yellowed wool are of low quality and have a shorter shelf life, since it cannot be bleached without destroying the fibers and cannot be dyed in light colors.
Yellowing of wool is the result of insolation, temperature, humidity, quantity and quality of grease, its increased alkalinity, and the composition of the fleece microflora. The pH level of grease from yellowed runes is always higher (8.5-10.0) than that of white fleeces (7.0-8.5). Genetic factors account for up to 25% of the main causes of yellowing.
Sheep with the most severe yellowing of the wool have been shown to have the highest sweat to fleece fat ratio compared to sheep with white wool (Table 50).

The keratin in wool fibers can turn yellow or even brown when exposed to excrement or disinfectants during bathing.
At the same time, it was experimentally proven that cigarette filters made from yellow sheep wool retain nicotine and carbon monoxide significantly better than cellulose acetate and normal merino wool filters.
Shine is the property of wool to reflect rays of light. It depends mainly on the size, shape and relative position of the scales that form the outer layer of the wool fiber. The shine of wool determines one or another brightness, “liveness” of the tones of woolen products.
The wool of the Lincoln breed, Russian longhair and Angora goats has the strongest shine - luster-like. Semi-luster shine is inherent in the wool of sheep of the Romney-Marsh and Kuibyshev breeds. Sheep of fine-fleece and semi-fine-fleece breeds are characterized by a silvery sheen. The wool of coarse-wool sheep has a matte sheen. The quality of astrakhan fur depends to a large extent on the shine of the wool fibers.
13. Density (specific gravity) wool is a fairly stable value and amounts to 1.3 g/cm3. Among all the main natural fibers, wool has the lowest specific gravity (silk - 1.52, cotton - 1.50, linen -1.50). This is an advantage of products made from wool, which are lighter in weight compared to products made from other fabrics.
Among all the most popular fibers, both natural and artificial, wool ranks fourth in density (specific gravity) (g/cm3):
spandex (polyurethane) - 1.00
nylon, nylon - 1.14
acetate fiber - 1.25
sheep wool - 1.30
lavsan - 1.38
cotton - 1.50
linen - 1.50
silk - 1.52
viscose fiber - 1.53
asbestos fiber - 2.55
glass fiber - 2.55
14. Thermal conductivity of wool. The question of the thermal conductivity of wool, like other textile fibers, has great importance, because thermal insulation is one of the main functions of textile, felt, felted and fur products.
The thermal conductivity coefficient of pure wool (at a temperature of 30° and a volumetric weight of 30 kg/m3), amounting to 0.32 W/(m*K), is less than that of other textile fibers, i.e. wool is characterized by lower thermal conductivity . However, when assessing the thermal conductivity of woven, knitted or felted wool products, it is necessary to take into account the thermal conductivity coefficient of not only the wool fibers themselves, but also the thermal conductivity of still air, which is constantly located in small cavities (pores) between the wool fibers. Consequently, the thermal conductivity coefficient of wool fibers is a value that does not fully characterize the thermal insulation properties of finished wool products, for which they are much higher. Table 51 shows the thermal conductivity coefficients of some materials.

15. Spinability of wool fiber. All operations of the spinning process are aimed at converting a mass of fibrous material into thread. This transformation must be carried out in such a way as to obtain from a given mass of fibers the largest amount of the thinnest and strongest thread, uniform in its properties and structure.
The fineness of the yarn, as well as the fineness of the fiber, is determined by number, that is, by the ratio of the length of the segment in kilometers or meters to the mass of this segment in kilograms or grams. When turning fibrous material into thread, the main indicators of its use are the number, breaking length and weight of the resulting yarn.
The degree of quantitative use of fibrous material during its processing into yarn is determined by its yield, i.e., by the ratio of the mass of yarn to the mass of fibrous material (wool) used to produce it. This can be considered as a way to determine the spinnability of wool.
The main factor determining the spinning ability of wool is its fineness.
16. Wool's ability to felt. Wool fibers have a high ability to felt or felt. As a result of the influence of pressure and friction forces, the fibers intertwine and their entire mass is compacted. The flakes of wool fibers hold the fibers in their position during felling, preventing them from moving in the finished product and increasing its strength. Humidity and temperature determine wool's ability to felt.
Ability various types wool for felting is determined by the ratio of the density of the felted product to the density of the original material.
17. Chemical properties of wool fiber. The wool fibers of fine-wool sheep consist of 99% keratin protein, which includes three fractions - α, β, and γ. The predominant component of keratin is α-keratose, which consists of micro- and macrofibrils of fibers. β-keratose is an amorphous substance that connects fibrils to each other. The third fraction - γ-keratosis - is the basis of the subcuticular membrane, which protects the main part of the fiber - the cortical layer - from the effects of various factors. The sulfur content, which is responsible for the main properties of wool, is 2-3 times higher in γ-keratose than in α- and β-keratoses.
Keratin of wool, horns, hooves, as well as silk fibroin, belongs to fibrillar proteins consisting of polypeptide chains capable of stretching and contracting. Keratins have a very high molecular weight.
Approximate chemical composition of wool: carbon - 50%, oxygen - 22%, nitrogen - 18%, hydrogen - 7%, sulfur - 2-5%. The share of ash substances accounts for from 1 to 3%. Keratin differs from other proteins in its increased content of sulfur, which is part of the molecules of the sulfur-containing amino acids cystine, cysteine ​​and methionine. Almost all the sulfur in wool fiber is contained in cystine, which is not synthesized in the body of sheep and therefore must be supplied with feed. With an increase in the sulfur content in wool, the strength of the wool increases and its spinning properties improve.
There is more sulfur in downy fibers than in awn and dead hair. This explains the higher sulfur content of merino wool (4%) compared to coarse wool (3.3%).
Table 52 shows the amino acid composition of wool keratin.

Wool keratin contains 19 amino acids; The highest contents are characterized by glutamic acid, cystine, leucine and arginine.
Wool fibers are capable of adsorbing and chemically binding acids and alkalis from aqueous solutions. Adsorption of acids and alkalis, as in the case of moisture absorption, is accompanied by swelling of wool fibers.
Treating wool with a weak solution of sulfuric acid (up to 5%) increases the strength of the fibers. A 5-7% sulfuric acid solution is used to clean wool from difficult-to-separate plant debris; in this case, no damage is caused to the wool fibers, and plant impurities are dissolved. This process is called wool carbonization.
Alkalies have the most powerful effect on wool. The degree of their destructive effect on wool depends on the type of alkali, concentration, temperature and duration of action of the solution. Caustic alkalis (caustic soda and caustic potassium) are especially damaging to wool. Even at low concentrations of solutions, they cause destruction of wool, and the higher the temperature, the more so. Treatment of wool yarn with a 0.05% solution of caustic soda makes it unsuitable for further processing into fabric. When boiled in a 3% solution of sodium hydroxide or potassium for two to three minutes, the wool completely dissolves. When the concentration of caustic soda solution increases to 15%, the wool is destroyed at an ever-increasing rate.
Treatment with chlorine also causes vigorous decomposition of the substance in wool.
Prolonged exposure to sunlight damages the coat: it turns yellow, becomes hard and brittle. Under influence ultraviolet rays the wool is destroyed.
18. Wool and other textile fibers. Man has used the wool (hair) of animals, initially wild and then domesticated, as a material to protect his body from external influences and insulate his home since prehistoric times. At first, wool was used together with leather, that is, in the form of skins from which primitive capes and hip covers were made. These items are one of the oldest human inventions. Already in the monuments of the Late Paleolithic, stone scrapers and bone needles were discovered, which were used for processing and stitching skins. Having learned to make yarn from sheared wool in the Neolithic era, man began to produce woolen fabrics. The oldest remains of woolen fabrics were discovered in Switzerland in the area of ​​pile buildings that were inhabited by humans 10-20 thousand years ago. There are well-preserved wall paintings showing that already 6-7 thousand years ago in Egypt and Babylon there were relatively well-organized technologies for spinning wool and making woolen fabrics from yarn (Fig. 39).

This led Ensminger to believe that wool was the first textile fiber in human history, from which the first fabrics were made.
With the growth of the population and the development of its needs, there was a gradual increase in the demand for fabrics made from wool, and then for fabrics made from plant fibers. For a long time, the predominant textile raw materials on the world market were wool and flax. By 1700, their share in the total volume of textile fibers was more than 90%. Then came a period of prolonged decline in demand for these fibers - in 1913 their share decreased to 21%. IN last years the share of wool and flax is less than 3%.
The production of individual fibers and their share in the gross production of all types of textile fibers in the world over the past 93 years are shown in Table 53.

The table data shows that during the 20th century there were significant changes in production volumes individual species textile fibers and the ratio of these volumes.
The dynamics of production of the three main types of fibers, which accounted for 95.6% of all fibers produced in the world in 2005, is most clearly presented in Figure 40.
The figure shows that world wool production, starting from the 40s, was at approximately the same level of 1.07-1.30 million tons, increasing slightly in the 60s.

Cotton production increased at an average rate with slight annual acceleration. As a result, cotton production increased 5-fold over the course of a century. During this time, the production of artificial textile fibers, starting almost from scratch, showed exceptionally vigorous growth. Their production volume increased 4,000 times. This happened mainly due to the rapid development of the production of synthetic fibers, which started in the late 50s and early 60s.
All of the above has led to the fact that the structure of textile fibers produced in the world, and consequently the fabrics made from them, has undergone very significant changes during the 20th century. Figure 41 shows the change in the ratio of shares of the two main types of textile fibers - natural and artificial - in their global production.

Textile fibers and, consequently, fabrics made from them are used to produce clothing - the main means of protecting the human body from negative environmental factors and providing environmentally comfortable conditions for its existence. The figure shows that if at the beginning of the last century almost all clothing in the world was made from natural textile fibers, then at the beginning of the 21st century more than half of it was made from artificial, or rather synthetic fibers, since the latter account for 92 %.
The share of man-made fibers in the total global per capita consumption of textile fibers is 62%; According to the long-term development forecast, by 2015 the share of their consumption will increase to 80%. In Russia, the share of consumption of artificial fibers and threads in the balance of the textile industry in 2006 was about 26%.
Currently, the world's leading companies produce artificial fibers and special textile materials based on nanotechnology, which have artificial intelligence, respond to sudden changes in environmental parameters and minimize the consequences of harmful influences, characterized by high thermophysiological and immunomodulatory properties and antimicrobial action.
The bulk of synthetic fibers differs significantly in their most important properties from natural textile fibers, especially wool. Table 54 shows the parameters of the most important physical properties of natural and artificial textile fibers.

The increasing production of artificial, and primarily synthetic, fibers is a consequence of the fact that these fibers have a number of advantages that attract industrialists and give them the opportunity to earn additional profits. The advantages of natural fibers, and especially wool, fade into the background in this case.
The main, outstanding advantages of wool are the following.
The specific gravity (density) of wool is the lowest compared to other natural and artificial fibers. Only nylon, nitron and spandex are lighter than wool, so wool products are among the lightest.
Elasticity (stretchability). According to this indicator, sheep wool and goat down are superior to all natural and artificial fibers with the exception of spandex (polyurethane synthetic fiber).
Hygroscopicity (humidity), that is, the ability to absorb moisture (sweat) is a very important property of wool. In this indicator, wool is superior to all natural and artificial fibers.
Thermal conductivity of wool. This is the most important advantage of wool. Compared to other textile fibers, wool has the lowest thermal conductivity coefficient. This refers to the thermal conductivity of the wool substance itself - the keratin protein. It should be borne in mind that the function of a thermal insulator is not performed by the monolithic substance of wool, but by wool products - textile, knitted, felt, felted and fur coats - which constantly contain varying amounts of still air in the small cavities between the wool fibers. This composite substance, consisting of wool and air, has a higher thermal insulation ability than pure wool fiber.
Therefore, when the enthusiastic attitude of Russian specialists towards the accelerated development of the production of synthetic fibers and their widespread introduction in the textile industry due to the displacement of wool is published, the thought immediately arises that these people have forgotten or do not know that:
a) 65% of Russia’s territory is located in the permafrost zone;
b) the coldest region of the Northern Hemisphere is located in Russia in the Verkhoyansk region, where the absolute minimum temperature is about -70°C;
c) reserves of non-renewable raw materials for the production of synthetic textile fibers - oil - will run out in different countries in the following years (RBC, 2008, No. 8):
Norway - 2010
Indonesia - 2010
Algeria - 2020
China - 2022
Russia - 2023
Libya - 2057
Iran - 2070
Saudi Arabia - 2084
Kuwait - 2129
Some experts believe that optimistic forecasts regarding the accelerated development of the production of synthetic fibers and their use in the textile industry in the future do not correlate closely enough with data on the depletion of reserves of petrochemical raw materials for the synthesis of fiber-forming polymers.
Based on the above, we can assume that wool sheep breeding, especially in a country like Russia, has very specific prospects for its revival and development.
Of interest are the ways and quantitative structure of using wool for the production of products for various purposes. Table 55 shows the use of different types of produced wool for the manufacture of various products in the USSR.
From the table data it is clear that the prevailing part of all types of wool is used for the production of fabrics - worsted, cloth, knitted. For these purposes, fine wool is used by 96.3%, semi-coarse - by 87.2% and coarse - by 55.6%.

It should be noted that in Russia, as a northern country, a significant part of the wool is used for the production of thermal insulation products, such as felted shoes, shoes and other felt products, fur coat products (wool on specially treated leather, blankets, rugs).
For a long time, in the production of woolen fabrics, a certain amount of artificial and other natural fibers has been added to woolen threads to improve some of their properties. In the USSR, the raw materials used for the production of woolen fabrics had the following composition on average (Table 56).

The table shows that the share of artificial, mainly synthetic, fibers with reduced thermal insulation properties and an almost complete absence of the ability to absorb moisture in Soviet woolen fabrics was 20%. In Russia in 2006, the share of synthetic fibers and threads in the raw material balance of the textile and light industry was about 26%. This value for Russian conditions can be considered quite acceptable and does not require further increase.
Fabrics made from wool with the addition of other textile fibers can be either very thin and light, products from which can provide a person with comfort in hot climates and even the tropics, or thick and very warm, suitable for life in very cold climates.
Wool fabrics are divided into three groups: worsted, fine cloth and coarse cloth.
Worsted (combed) fabrics have a smooth surface with a pronounced weave pattern and are light in weight. To produce worsted yarn, wool with a length of 55 mm and above is used. These fabrics are produced from yarn from No. 84 to No. 28 with a linear density of 12-36 tex (1 tex = 1 g/km). The weight of 1 m2 of fabric varies: for dresses - 130-230 g, for suits -200-500 g.
Fine-woven fabrics are produced from fibers that are shorter (less than 55 mm) in length. The surface of cloth fabrics as a result of felling does not have a weaving pattern, but may have a pile. Fine cloth fabrics are made from hardware yarn from No. 24 to No. 10 (42-100 tex). Light suiting fabrics weigh 260-320 g/m2, the heaviest fabrics for demi-season coats weigh 700-800 g/m2.
Coarse cloth fabrics are produced from machine yarn of low counts - from No. 8 to No. 2 (125-500 tex), obtained from semi-coarse and coarse wool. The best type of coarse cloth fabric is beaver with good, stable pile. These fabrics have a fairly large weight - from 350 to 780 g/m2.

Reading time: 7 minutes

Natural wool is animal hair collected for processing and use. Wool fabric is mainly produced from sheep. Vegetation of camels, goats, llamas, and rabbits is also used. Wool consists mainly of keratin protein, which contains a lot of sulfur.

Animals are combed to obtain fluff and sheared to obtain wool. After collection, it is cleaned and sorted.

Yarn is made from it, which is converted into natural fabrics or with the addition of synthetics. Used for the manufacture of felted and felted products.

Types of wool

According to the method of extraction, it is divided into three types:

• “live” is cut from living animals;
• “dead” is collected from animal skins at slaughterhouses, its quality is worse;
• the restored one is obtained by splitting pieces of yarn and wool scraps.

Types of fiber:

• fluff is the softest, thinnest, most delicate and valuable part;
• transitional hair – less crimped, like fluff, stiffer and thicker;
• dead hair is hard, fragile.

Origin of the fiber

Types depending on the animal:

• Camel hair is obtained from the undercoat of the Bactrian camel. It is combed out once a year. From one individual you can collect from 4 to 9 kg. This material is lighter than sheep's and retains body temperature better than others. Quickly absorbs and evaporates moisture. It cannot be dyed, so it is produced in only 14 shades. Such clothing helps in the treatment of many diseases.
• Llama wool can only be obtained in Peru. Previously, this animal was a beast of burden, and now the quality of the vegetation is different for everyone. Only llamas with soft hair are selected for cutting and combing. Down is used to make luxury fabrics, and hair is also used.
• Alpaca is a rare Peruvian llama. They cut it once a year and get no more than 3.5 kg of wool. Therefore it is very expensive. Durable and warm, resistant to stains. There are 22 natural shades of this material.

Types of wool fabrics

Different woolen fabrics differ from each other in density, processing method, and composition.

In general, they can be divided into three subgroups:

1. Coarse cloth fabrics are very coarse, heavy, thick and dense. They are mainly used to make country-style coats and jackets.
2. Thin-woven ones are intended for the manufacture of light coats, jackets, and suits. They are not very dense.
3. Worsted is smooth and thin. Area of ​​application - mostly suits.

Depending on the purpose, various woolen fabrics are used.

For business suits

Popular fabrics for the production of women's and men's suits:

1. Single-layer plain weave cloth with a matte surface. Made from fine, semi-fine or semi-coarse fibers.
2. - the softest variety. Fine hardware yarn produces a loose structure and a textured surface.
3. used for the production of jackets with twill weaving. It comes in plain colour. No diagonal rib.

For coat

What are women's and men's coats made of:

1. Made from merino wool using a twill weave. Dense, rigid, wear-resistant, water-repellent plain material. Does not wrinkle. Suitable for light coats.
2. made with complex weave with the addition of synthetic threads. Warm fabric with a fluffy front side. The loose structure promotes the appearance of dirt. Tights form and threads come out in areas of frequent friction.
3. with obvious pile, dense and heavy. Retains heat well and does not allow air to pass through. Man-made fibers are often added to provide strength and reduce static.
4. Cashmere is an expensive fabric, sometimes natural fibers are mixed with artificial ones. It is obtained from a twill weave of the finest fibers.

Baby clothes

To prevent rough materials from injuring the baby’s delicate skin, two soft types are usually used:

1. Thin wool is brushed on both sides. Doesn't hold its shape well, but is warm and comfortable, breathable.
2. – wool knitwear, soft and comfortable. Elastic and almost wrinkle-free.

Other options

What other fabrics are there:

How to determine the naturalness of wool

Three simple ways:

1. Take a piece of thread and set it on fire. Natural fiber flares up quickly and burns slowly. When it goes out, the smell of burnt hair will be felt, and the burnt thread is easily ground into dust. Material containing artificial fibers will leave behind a polymer droplet.
2. You need to wrinkle a piece of fabric and listen to your feelings. The synthetic fiber slides and makes a grinding sound, which can even give you unpleasant goosebumps. During the process, static electricity appears and a cracking sound is heard. Small flashes are visible in the darkness. If you knead the natural fabric, the skin will only tingle a little.
3. Take a close look at the yarn. Real wool is branched and has an uneven structure. Artificial textiles or those with impurities look smoother, and the finest hairs do not stick out. Therefore, synthetic material is not so prickly and softer than natural material.

The label must indicate the composition. If an item is made of expensive material, for example, angora or cashmere, you should ask for a certificate for the item before purchasing.

Proper care

• Wash inside out to maintain the shape of the product and prevent pilling. Optimal temperature water - 30 degrees, otherwise the item shrinks.

• For washing, use special liquid products or regular shampoo. Children's is suitable for very delicate things.
• Any stains should be removed before washing. Most can be removed with alcohol. dish soap, ordinary dirt - with a clothes brush.
• Woolen items should not be soaked. The washing process should not take more than 45 minutes from the moment of immersion in water.
• You can wash wool textiles a couple of times a year. Stains are removed separately, odors from such clothes quickly evaporate. Just hang it on the balcony.

• Drying process: roll the clothes into a tube, place them on a light towel and unfold them. It is necessary to immediately give the correct shape.
• The shrunken item should be slightly moistened with water and ironed from the inside out through gauze. In the process, the fabric is stretched to give the required form. Read the recommendations: .
• The spools cannot be torn off manually; special machines or combs are used for this.
• Woolen products are stored folded on a shelf. They will stretch on hangers.

Handwash

Correct Actions:

1. Pour cool water up to 30 degrees into the basin.
2. Dissolve detergent in it. It should be intended for hand wash, preferably liquid. The packaging contains images of wool balls.
3. Dip the item into the basin and wait a few seconds until it is saturated with water. Gently move it in different directions several times. Do not rub - this will cause pellets.
4. When the water changes color, you can pour it out. You can repeat it if necessary, but most often once is enough.
5. Fill the sink with water at the same temperature as for washing. Rinse the product with gentle movements. The detergent must be completely removed, so you usually rinse twice.
6. Drain the water and lift the clothes in the lump. Carefully squeeze out some of the water and wrap in a thick towel. It will absorb most of the water.

Various things are made from wool: outer and casual clothing, shoes, hats and accessories, furniture upholstery. Woolen clothes can be both business office wear and cozy home wear. At good care the product will last a long time and will not lose its shape and properties.