Everyone knows what sheep's wool is, but what is wool as a material?
The wool is animal fibre. Wool is a protein, the same substance as human nails and hair.
Wool is a popular material for wearables because as a garment it is warm, flexible, soft, non-electrical, easily removes dirt, does not catch fire easily, does not self-extinguish and does not wrinkle easily. However, if this happens, wool will straighten out when aired outdoors and in humid air.
The colour of the wool is determined by the melanin pigment. The most valuable in technological use is white wool, which is suitable for dyeing.
The wool fibre is measured using microns. The coarsest wool fibres are up to 40 microns, which makes wool itchy. The fineness of the thin wool I tried is 16 microns. The finer the fibre, the less it itches the skin.
Merino sheep are mainly bred in Australia and New Zealand, although they are also found in Finland. The wool fibres from merino sheep are long and thinner than thicker sheep's wool. As a result, merino wool can be used to make thinner felt fabrics.
The best qualities of wool products are warmth and moisture absorption. For example, a woollen sock keeps your feet warm when you're outdoors in ski boots or boots. The air layer in the felt fabric makes wool a good heat insulator.
Sheep's wool also has healing properties thanks to its lanolin content.
The substance is activated at 35-37 degrees Celsius and when it penetrates the skin, it has a positive effect on muscles and joints, stimulating blood circulation. The use of wool products is indicated for people with sciatica, osteochondrosis and high blood pressure.
Why wool felt?
It's all in the structure! Normal sheep's wool looks about the same as human hair.
Natural wool fibres have a felting property. Mechanical action, at the right temperature, allows wet wool fibres to intertwine. This is due to the cellular structure of the fibres and their flexibility. The result of the felting process is a felt. To speed up the felting process, use a warm soapy water solution in which the fibres swell quickly. In addition, the surface of the laid fibre layer becomes slippery, which makes felting much easier.
The longer the felting process lasts, the more the wool shrinks, i.e. it becomes denser. The felt is complete when it is dense to the touch and the fibres are indistinguishable because they are bonded together. If the felt is not dense enough, it will fuzz and lose its shape. The density and thickness of the felt will vary according to the needs of the product to be made.
The unique structure of wool allows it to breathe, with special air cavities between the fibres, inside which air circulates. This helps to remove excess heat and moisture, creating a comfortable microclimate.
But how to felt and which wool to use I will tell you more about online courses.
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