Choosing what to wear today also depends on the type of fiber. Wool, for example, is a type of textile fiber with excellent performance, especially for outdoor clothing but not only, and with unique characteristics.
There are different types of wool that have specific characteristics depending on the fiber chosen. The different types of wool have many benefits and properties that make them ideal for footwear, clothing and accessories. Knowing these characteristics and advantages leads to greater awareness and allows you to choose the next purchase more appropriately.
A more informed choice during the purchasing process is a gift not only for the planet but also for the wallet: opting for quality garments and optimal fibers that resist over time such as those found in the different types of wool, allows for considerable savings over the long term and continuous comfort.
Let's see together what wool is and what types of wool exist trying to understand from the characteristics of each one the most suitable for specific needs.
What is wool?
Wool is a fabric made from the sheared hair of various animals. It is therefore a natural fiber with very ancient origins: used in the Middle East and North Africa, wool was used in the warmest places by the Bedouin nomads of the Arabian peninsula. Even today, wool is the main fiber with which outerwear and curtains, thanks to its insulating capacity: the outer layer of the wool, in fact, overheats but does not transfer that heat to the inner layers of the fabric in this way the environment in the tent remains cool.
Wool is a fiber with incredible performance that derives from its very structure. Wool has a thin core around the pile, surrounded by an outer layer of microscopic, overlapping keratin flakes. Each wool fiber is therefore an elastic and corrugated tube that can bend over 200 thousand times and maintain both the high elasticity and the internal tone.
Some main characteristics that hold all types of wool concern:
- - Insulating capacity: wool is an excellent insulator and, unlike any other type of fibre, wool maintains its insulating capacity even when wet. Wool is naturally resistant to water thanks to the keratin flakes and natural oils present in animal fur. Its ability to insulate while wet has made it an indispensable fiber for many outdoor activities precisely because it can protect against hypothermia.
- - The ability to absorb humidity: wool is excellent at absorbing humidity for about a third of its weight and the very structure of the fibers helps to keep this water on the outer layer of the fabric. The woven fibers draw water away from the skin and deposit it on the outside of the garment. This feature is also perfect for those who want a garment that stays dry for a long time.
- - The ability to be resistant to odors and antimicrobial: wool is also particularly appreciated for these characteristics. While you need to be careful when doing your laundry, wool shouldn't be washed too often because it doesn't retain odors and doesn't get dirty easily. The wool fibers retain all the dirt on the surface and are often stain resistant.
- - Its fire-retardant capacity: wool is highly resistant to fire because it has a very high combustion temperature. Therefore, wool does not melt in a fire.
The types of wool: what they are and their main characteristics and uses
The clothing industry recognizes ten types of wool:
- virgin wool;
- merino wool;
- Shetland wool;
- cashmere wool;
- mohair wool;
- camel hair;
- alpaca wool;
- llama wool;
- the vicuna;
- the qiviut.
Besides these types of wool, there are also some fabrics that are not intended to be worn, such as carpets and other home accessories. Each type of wool is clearly identified on the resulting garments as the wool industry is very scrupulous about labeling and identifying the source of fibers it uses. The fibers obtained from different animals, as we will see later, allow for the creation of different types of fabric depending on the use cases.
Virgin wool
The virgin wool, also known as lambswool, is the most available type of soft wool. It is taken from a sheep's first shearing, usually when the animal is seven months old, this being the softest coat a sheep will produce in its lifetime. Sometimes we refer to virgin wool by indicating types of fibers that have not undergone any processing procedure. However, it is a very thin wool with hypoallergenic properties and whose fibers are so thin as to be almost slippery to the touch and extremely elastic.
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Merino wool
Merino wool comes exclusively from merino sheep. This breed from Spain is 80% distributed in Australia and is a warm climate breed of sheep, whose hair fibers are naturally fine and light compared to other types of wool.
Merino sheep also produce a higher percentage of lanolin than other sheep, which means that their wool has to go through an elaborate process of removing much of the oil naturally contained in the hair. For this reason merino wool is more expensive than other types of wool but the durability of merino wool garments and their high performance of this type of wool means that the price is more than adequate. Merino wool can be used all year round and has antibacterial properties that fight odors.
Cashmere wool
One of the most remarkable types of wool is undoubtedly the cashmere. This soft and delicate wool comes from the cashmere breed goat, whose fibers are obtained from the goat's neck. Very similar to merino wool, cashmere is particularly fine and this makes the fabric ideal for clothing, caps and cardigans, and there are many people who prefer this type of raw material for their garments.
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Shetland wool
Shetland wool is a type of thick and lustrous wool, a first choice for knitwear and outerwear. It is a rather unusual type of wool since the sheep's fleece is not always uniform. A single Shetland sheep can give a fine wool on the neck and a thicker wool on the sides: this is because the Shetland sheep are a primitive breed of Scotland, they come precisely from the Shetland Islands. The outer hair of Shetland sheep is long and coarse, ideal for carpets and more durable fabrics, while the inner hair is excellent for scarves, socks and other garments that need softness.
Alpaca wool
I llama alpacas are camelids native to South America but have now become popular animals all over the world. The alpaca produces a type of wool that is among the best in the world. Although they are very soft, alpaca wool fibers have a coarser, itchy feel. Alpaca wool has many qualities and is aesthetically very particular, with unique shades. It is a very rare and precious wool which is often worked by hand and which includes all the main characteristics of sheep's wool and is enveloping and versatile.
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Camel wool
It is a resistant fiber ideal for making coats. Camel hair, even if it doesn't look like it, is hollow and finer than sheep's hair. Its fiber is therefore light and soft almost as much as that of cashmere. Camel wool is often obtained from camels living in cold regions such as Mongolia, northern China and Russia.
Vicuna wool
The vicunas are the wild relatives of the alpacas: these are very rare animals that the Peruvian government takes care of protecting and for this reason it limits the frequency with which it is possible to capture them to collect their fur. Vicuna shearing dates back to the Inca Empire and the fiber was reserved for use by royalty at the time. Today, a product entirely made with vicuna wool can cost a lot, as this species is very rare.
Llama wool
Related to the alpaca, the llama they produce a very rough wool which cannot always be worn in contact with the skin but maintains all the other characteristics and unchanged qualities. The ideal use of llama wool is that of carpets and blankets.
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Mohair or Angora wool
The mohair is goat wool from the Angora goat. The angoras are a breed with thick hair, which gives the wool obtained a good softness and protection. The Angora fiber is particularly smooth to the touch and absorbs color well, which is why it is particularly versatile. Not to be confused with Angora wool which comes from rabbits, Angora goat wool is thicker than cashmere and, although very similar to normal sheep's wool, has fibers from the scales not too pronounced, in this way it is a wool that does not tangle or shrink.
Qiviut wool
That of Qiviut is a wool that comes from the undercoat of the Arctic musk ox bred in Canada and Alaska. The ox is closely related to the goats and its wool is very difficult to obtain since the ox cannot be sheared: the wool is harvested in spring when the animal sheds the undercoat. It is a very fine, soft and strong pile, eight times warmer than any type of wool and does not shrink in water, making it a very popular wool for coats and garments winter.
