Introduction

• Wool is one of our natural versatile fibres
• Wool is a complex fibre that man can not duplicate or create a synthetic fibre to match
• Wool can be course enough for carpets yet soft enough to be put next to a babies skin
• Because sheep live in extreme climates their fleece is sophisticated
• The outer skin is waterproof yet the inner layer keeps moisture in therefore keeps us warm

History

• Sheep were one of the first domestic animal, however they look different today
• Wool was used to cloth man long before history was written
• It is not known the date of the first wool garments but wool has protected man for over 25,000 years
• Sheep naturally shed their coat in the spring and it is thought that man collected this and used it to keep warm
• Man then learnt to spin this into fibres

Properties

• Hard wearing
• Absorbs moisture
• Lightweight
• Versatile
• Does not wrinkle easily
• A natural insulator to keep you warm in winter
• Its natural breathable quality helps to keep you cool in summer
• Wool is the only fibre that naturally resists flaming.
• Wool is soft enough to put next to a baby’s skin
• Wool can hold 29% of its weight in water without feeling wet
• Wool dyes well
• Wool does not soil easily

Disadvantages

• 100% wool garments tend to shrink if care is not taken
• moths find wool tasty so will leave holes
• Bleach will discolour wool and make the fibres stiff
• Wool garments can not be tumble dried
• The soft lustre of wool can be destroyed by strong alkalis found in laundry detergents