How Wool is Made
Wool is the fiber derived from the fleece or the fur of the Caprinae family. This family consists of chamois, goats, serows, sheep and relatives. Wool may is made from the hair fibers of these species.
The sheep is the most commonly known source of wool. Wool is considered as a protein fiber called ‘keratin.’ It comprises three vital components: cuticle, cortex and medulla.
Wool is made by shearing the fleece of a sheep. This is processed to produce the woven fabric that we use today. It starts with the proper technique of shearing.
Movements should be swift and precise with shearing. This is to assure the sheep will not take too much cuts and bruises. This is also to avoid struggle while the sheep is being sheared.
It is imperative the fleece is kept in one piece. Different method and techniques have been developed in some parts of the world. One method enables a shearer to remove the wool in less than 2 to 3 minutes.
The wool taken will be sorted and graded. It will depend on its quality, colors and textures. This process is called ‘wool classing’.
Wool Classing is performed by qualified ‘wool classers.’ This ‘raw wool’ or ‘grease wool’ will still contain sand, dirt, sweat and contaminants. These contents will bear about almost half of the fleece’s weight.
The contents will also be scoured in a series of alkaline baths made of water, soap and soda ash. Water is squeezed out of the fleece but not completely drying it. Oil is often times used to increase its softness.
The next stage requires the fleece to pass through a series of metal teeth. This will straighten the fibers into slivers. This is called ‘carding.’
‘Carding’ is the process that removes any excess dirt or matter left in the fleece. The fibers are spun into yarn after this. The thread is formed by spinning the fibers together.
The spun fibers will form a strand of yarn. This may also be spun together with two to four other strands of yarn. A spinning machine is used for this. Spun yarn is wrapped around cones, bobbins or drums.
The last step is creating the fabric. The wool yarn is either knitted, weaved and may be dyed. This achieves the desired look and feel of the fabric.
Several finishing processes are done to create the final wool fabric. These finishing procedures will determine the warmth, durability and value of the wool.