DIFFERENT FACES OF WOOL - WHICH TO CHOOSE?
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From sheep, goats, alpacas and more - the origin of wool can vary. It is therefore not surprising that they differ in terms of delicacy, durability, as well as properties and, consequently, price. Let's take a look at the characteristics of the most popular selected types of wool and what their advantages and disadvantages are.
Sheep wool - Merino
Sheep wool is a commonly known natural fiber from which various types of textile products are made, such as clothing, carpets, blankets, etc. However, in this one category we have a huge variety of quality, which is influenced primarily by the breed of sheep from which the wool is obtained. there is fiber. It is therefore not surprising that for some of us, sheep wool is associated with an unpleasant smell and a scratchy structure, while for others, products made of it are called "high-end". The most popular and valued is Merino wool. It comes from merino sheep - sheep bred in the mountains, among others. in New Zealand and Australia. Merino sheep are exposed to large temperature fluctuations and strong winds, but they have become resistant to these difficult conditions thanks to their wool. What benefits does it have for humans? What deserves the main attention is its ability to regulate heat. When the temperature is high, the merino fiber relaxes, letting excess heat out, and when it is cold, it contracts, making the product made of it warmer. Without a doubt, another advantage of this type of wool is its ability to absorb moisture. Another advantage of Merino is its resistance to odors, because even after long-term use, the fabric made of it does not emit the unpleasant odor that often occurs with products made of sheep wool.
Merino wool, apart from many advantages, also has disadvantages. One is its low resistance to abrasion and deformation, which is why in the clothing industry it is usually used with an artificial admixture that increases durability and strength. Without proper finishing, which carries a much higher price, merino wool products quickly stretch and deform even with normal use. For many people, it is also too warm and even the thinnest products made of it will not work well at high temperatures. Another disadvantage of this type of fiber is a very long drying time. While, as mentioned, Merino wool wicks away moisture efficiently, unfortunately after it gets wet we have to be patient. Likewise, the washing itself is much more demanding and time-consuming. Moreover, merino wool is often considered to be friendly to allergy sufferers, but this is not entirely true, Merino fiber is covered with lanolin, which is responsible for allergic reactions such as dermatitis, itching, redness, and even a runny nose, sneezing and eye redness.
Goat wool - cashmere and mohair
Cashmere is a real Mercedes in the world of wool. Few fabrics can boast such nobility as it. It is a fiber with a velvety structure that retains heat perfectly. Its great advantage is that it gives several times more warmth than sheep wool, and at the same time it is 6 times thinner than human hair, which makes it incredibly delicate and light. In addition, cashmere is breathable and absorbs moisture perfectly, wicking it away almost immediately. Unlike sheep wool, cashmere does not absorb water and dries quickly. It is also very elastic, which means that it fits perfectly, does not crease and quickly returns to its original shape. Like Merino, cashmere does not absorb odors, and thanks to its self-regulating cleaning functions, it is additionally resistant to dirt. Cashmere acquires all these properties thanks to the conditions in which it must perform its role - Cashmere goats live in the Himalayas at altitudes of 3-5 thousand meters. meters above sea level, where the temperature reaches even -30 degrees. Celsius. Unfortunately, cashmere sweaters that we can find in stores are usually made of second-grade cashmere, the fibers of which are hard and do not fulfill their properties so well, which is why, despite the high price, in terms of quality they have little in common with those made of soft fiber, which are the most expensive in the world and reach prices expressed in thousands of zlotys. This means that in reality, only a few people who have dealt with cashmere have actually known the first type of cashmere with all the features we have mentioned.
The second noteworthy fiber coming from goats, this time Angora, is mohair. Tibet is considered to be the place where this species of goats originated, and it was only from there that this delicate fiber was obtained for a long time. Then, in the 16th century, the first farms were established in Turkey, which for many years took over the title of a tycoon in the production of mohair, and in the 1830s, Angora goats were transported from Turkey to South Africa, where South Africa became the main producer of this fiber in world. Currently, apart from South Africa, the largest producers include Türkiye, Australia and the United States. It is an extremely delicate fleece with a silky shine, which is also light and elastic. Mohair is also valued for its thermal insulation properties. The mentioned delicacy of this fiber is both its advantage and disadvantage - on the one hand, it is pleasant to the touch, but it is also very easy to tear, pill and spontaneously felt (felt), as a result of which the mohair fibers clump into a compact structure, which it doesn't necessarily look aesthetically pleasing. All these features mean that mohair is often combined with other types of wool that do not have such properties. Moreover, many clothing manufacturers are withdrawing from the production of clothes with mohair as a result of the actions of PETA, which presented a report on the mistreatment of Angora goats in farms in South Africa. Since 50% of the world's mohair comes from there, there is a high probability of buying a product made of fiber obtained without respect for animal rights.
Alpaca wool
Alpaca wool was already called "Inca gold" during the times of the Inca Empire and is still considered the most valuable and delicate wool in the world. Alpacas are animals from South America, inhabiting the Andes at an altitude of approximately 3,500 to 5,000 m above sea level. These unique animals, which could initially be found mainly in Peru, Chile and Bolivia, have spread all over the world due to their precious fleece, including Europe, and in it you can find them, among others: in Poland. One of the advantages of alpaca fiber is that, thanks to the air pockets located on the entire surface of the hair, it has excellent insulating and thermoregulatory properties. In many respects, alpaca wool is compared to cashmere because, like cashmere, it is light, pleasant to the touch, breathable, odorless, excellent at wicking away moisture and resistant to dirt. Additionally, it comes in 22 natural colors.
Alpaca wool, like other fibers, can be scratchy, this is mainly due to the quality and thickness of the fiber. The most delicate are those called "baby alpaca". This term is often mistranslated because, as it may seem, it does not mean fiber from a young alpaca, but it refers to the thickness of the fiber, measured in microns. The thinner the fiber, the fewer microns and therefore the greater delicacy. Alpaca fiber can be even over 30 microns, but it is then unsuitable for the production of clothing and other accessories. Hair up to a thickness of 22.5 microns is considered "baby alpaca", while hair below 19 microns is called "royal alpaca" and the fleece belonging to these categories is the best fiber in its field, it will not, among others, caused discomfort and itching when worn, therefore all clothing and accessories, e.g. alpaca hats, should be made of this type of fibers. Not only young alpacas have the "baby alpaca" fleece, some alpacas that are several years old can also boast of such a treasure, provided that they are high-quality animals. Also, not always young alpacas will have "baby alpaca" fiber, it all depends primarily on the quality of the animal, but also on its health condition, diet, and in the case of an adult alpaca, even on whether it is pregnant or nursing its young. Alpaca wool has nothing in common with llama wool, which has a very thick fiber, and unfortunately they are often confused. The most important feature of alpaca wool is that it does not contain lanolin, which, as previously mentioned, is responsible for allergic reactions. For this reason, alpaca fiber is completely safe for allergy sufferers.
Let's buy wool products wisely!
When deciding to buy wool products, it is worth gaining knowledge about the properties of each type, as well as looking for trusted and recommended producers and sellers. Thanks to this, we will know what type of wool will meet our expectations, as well as what we should try to avoid. High-quality woolen products are not the cheapest, you need to be aware of this, so if we rely only on a low price, we can often find a product that will not reflect all the positive aspects that it should theoretically have. Sometimes it is worth spending more, so that only with proper care of our woolen products, we can enjoy their purchase and use for many years.
