|
|
Wool Description
Wool is a natural animal fiber clipped or shorn
from the sheep, lamb or goat. There are about 40 different breeds
of sheep, lamb or goats which produce over 200 different types of
wool. Each type is divided into different grades depending on the
animal, place or origin, method or removal and purity of the fiber. Wool
fibers range from 1" to 18" in length and vary in color from
cream to brown to gray and black. Wool is divided into three main
categories: fine, medium and long. Merino sheep, first bred
in Spain, but now common throughout the world, are the best producers of
fine wools. Traditionally, sheep with English origins are the
primary producers of medium wools, while long wools come from sheep bred
mainly for mutton. There are two type of
converted wool yarns. Woolen yarns are soft, thick and
fuzzy with an uneven texture and a slack twist. Worsted yarns
are fine, smooth and even textured with a tight twist and a high tensile
strength.
Back to Textile Terms
|
|
