Sweater season is almost upon us and we thought we would take it upon ourselves to break down for you the different types of wool and animal fibers that compose them. To help you separate your wools from your hairs and to give you an overview of the different properties and pros and cons associated with each, this guide intends to cover most frequently found names on the inside labels of your wool garments, including Lambswool , Merino , Cashmere , Angora , Mohair , and Alpaca.
Wool and hair in garments is something we humans have used since at least BCE, when ancient Iranians began to domesticate wool sheep, to keep our bodies warm.
What started out as a basic survival instinct for us hairless mammals at the very top of the food chain has since evolved into an industry of farming domesticated animals in the name of fashion.
True, many people do still depend on clothes for utilitarian purposes, but many also have the luxury of being able to hand pick their optimal choice of knitwear, whether it is light or heavy, natural or dyed, merino or cashmere. Aside from the soft and luxurious feeling very often associated with the popular cashmere, it can be difficult for many to distinguish between the different types of wool and hair.
Wool is sourced from sheep Merino, Lincoln, Dorset etc. The undercoat is soft, highly-prized, and generally favourable for use in knitwear, but the two are sometimes blended into the same finished yarn e.
Wool fibers are generally shorter, thicker and has more pronounced scales whereas hair is generally longer fibres, finer and has less pronounced scales. Our columnist Robert Lim recently declared his love for wool , but allow us to remind you why. Wool and hair have many general properties in common, making them desirable for use in a variety of garments:. A lot of the desirable properties associated with wool and hair stem from a natural protein, called keratin , which is found in the fibers of the hair and skin of mammals.
The bilateral core of keratin causes the fibers to twist and bend, giving wool its natural crimp and resilience. Another beneficial property of keratin lies in its flame-resistance, which unlike with plant fibers, makes wool and hair fibers self-extinguishable once no longer directly exposed to a flame. One drawback, however, is that wool and hair become weaker when exposed to water, with wool losing about a quarter of its strength when wet. Another disadvantage of wool and hair and other natural fibers is their tendency to become moth food, a problem not shared by synthetics.
That being said, the beneficial properties of wool and hair arguably makes it unrivaled by any man-made fiber known today. Aside from various types of animals and breeds, several things determine the quality of wool and hair.
Wool and hair are both graded on their properties such as strength, staple length length of the fiber , and fineness diameter measured in microns , as well as consistency and defects. Generally, the first shear from any animal is the softest and considered the most valuable as one end remains uncut. After shearing, the staples are spun into different types of yarn generally separated as carded woolen and combed worsted.
Wool and hair are often mixed with other fibers natural or man-made to lower cost or to impart other qualities, for example, in a sweater to improve elasticity, durability, and to help it keep its shape. There are many different breeds of sheep used in wool production and their fibers range from roughly microns in diameter and 1.
The various breeds come in different shapes and sizes, and live in different countries and climates, that along with age, health, and diet affect the quality of their fleece. Carding wool for Harris Tweed. Image via Scotweb. Wool has a low tenacity the ultimate force it takes to break the fiber , which is worsened when wet, but wool is able to stretch up to a quarter of its size before breaking.
Wool fibers are generally durable and are able to bend a thousand times more than man-made fibers. The pronounced scales in the wool fibers makes woolen fabrics more prone to tangling and thus relevant for nonwovens like felt, but it also increases the tendency of shrinkage.
As with most wool and hair, the first shearing of sheep generally produces the finest and softest wool. This is referred to as Lambswool and is typically shorn from lambs younger than seven months old. As with most animal products, there are concerns about the treatment of cashmere goats.
PETA , for instance, is of the opinion that cashmere wool production is on par with genocide, but other voices take a more moderate approach. It all depends on who you work with. Otherwise, cashmere wool does not have a negative impact on the environment.
Instead, it provides a vital economic lifeline in a region devoid of any other major world exports. GOTS certifies all sorts of different natural fabrics. It keeps a close eye on cashmere wool production, and it only provides certifications to producers that follow organic, sustainable guidelines.
GOTS rewards producers that behave ethically with a global framework of buyers, sellers, and advocates for safe, sustainable fabric production. The SCS is one of the newest certifiers of cashmere wool. This branch of the Sustainable Fibre Alliance seeks to develop a new standard for cashmere production that affords proper respect to grassland health, animal management, and other aspects of sustainable wool production.
Kering oversees the production of various animal fibers and products, and this organization has a thorough process in place for implementing safe, sustainable wool production infrastructure.
The RCS aims to increase the use of recycled materials in textile products, and this opt-in program allows cashmere producers to let the world know that their products are recycled. Wool products are surprisingly easy to recycle. The GRS oversees the recycling of dozens of both organic and artificial textile products, and this organization provides cashmere producers with another opportunity to get their products recognized as eco-friendly. About the author:. Sewport Support Team is the founder and CEO of Sewport - an online marketplace connecting brands and manufacturers, former founder of various clothing manufacturing services.
He is passionate about e-commerce, marketing and production digitisation. Connect with Boris on LinkedIn. Did you know we helped over brands find garment manufacturers and specialists and we can help you too Table of contents What is cashmere fabric?
History of cashmere fabric Cashmere fabric today How is cashmere fabric made? Shearing 2. Cleaning 3. Combing 4. Spinning 5. Cleaning, dyeing, etc. Weaving 7. Final treatments 8. Packaging and fulfillment How is cashmere fabric used?
Where is cashmere fabric produced? How much does cashmere fabric cost? What different types of cashmere fabric are there? Cashmere wool 2. Pashmina wool 3. Grade C cashmere 4. Grade B cashmere 5. Grade A cashmere How does cashmere fabric impact the environment? How is cashmere fabric made? Given the fact that cashmere goats are bred only in some parts of the planet, it becomes clear while the final fabric is on the expensive side. Most often cashmere fabric is used for suiting and coating, but it also makes other sorts of garments.
The most popular end-uses include:. Cable knit or gauzy, embroidered or decorated with crystals, they are the perfect recipe for cold days. Cashmere suits are wonderfully soft to the touch, but remember that even high quality cashmere tends to pill, and it has little body. Instead, opt for wool blends, e. Apparel is not the only application for cashmere. It has also found its way into our houses in the form of quilts, blankets, rugs and carpets. Skilled sewers know how to treat it carefully not to leave any marks or impressions.
Cashmere is a luxury fiber. The reason is simple: cashmere fibers are quite short. When cared for properly, this regal fabric can last for years. Be gentle with cashmere material and store it properly when the wintry season is over. You may fold your cashmere cardigan or jumper and line it with tissue paper, and then put in on a shelf. Make sure you use some kind of protection against moths, such as scented sachets or cedar balls. Cashmere wool fabric needs to breathe, so avoid using plastic bags for storage.
Cashmere is quite expensive, but no good thing ever comes cheap. Investing in high quality cashmere is a wise decision, because it is timeless and never goes out of fashion.
One of the always-en-vogue pieces is cashmere sweater. It can be made of dyed or natural wool, be plain or printed. The variety of cuts available is impressive: V-neck, rollneck, boatneck, ribbed, cable knit, cropped, oversized, you name it. The black cashmere sweater is the ultimate in functional luxury — it flatters your shapes and hides what needs to be hidden, and it goes well with practically anything, from jeans to long skirts. Cashmere coat is another key piece worth having. It also comes in a wide range of silhouettes and colors and looks gorgeous thrown over a sheath dress or a pencil skirt suit.
Some tips from the fashion catwalks: a knee-length notched collar coat a double-faced cropped jacket in pure cashmere. As for accessories, cashmere scarves, shawls and wraps are the three fashion essentials to battle the cold weather.
Checked, striped or plain, they look becoming from morning till night. Those seeking for an enveloping softness may try cashmere poncho or cape.
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