Wool fibre is a natural fibre with its source being animal hair. The primary source of wool fibre is sheep hair, while several different types of wool are sourced from animals other than sheep, such as goats and camels.
Wool is distinguished from other fibres due to its high durability and thermal insulation properties. It retains body heat protecting the wearer from the cold winds during winter. Different types of wool fibres are popular in different areas of the World: sheep, goat, mohair, and angora in Europe, camel in the Middle East, cashmere in the Himalayan plains, and alpaca in the Andes.
Man and wool have a long history together, which goes back over 10,000 years when our ancestors used the skin of animals, especially sheep, to keep their bodies warm. According to historical records, sheep were tamed in Mesopotamia in approximately 9000 BC. Later on, man learned how to weave wool, and it became the identity of the rich and a status symbol.
Due to the warmth of wool cloth and the herding of sheep, human beings could extend civilization far beyond Mesopotamia’s warm environment. Between 2500 BC and 1000 BC, Greeks and Romans supplied sheep and wool over Europe as they had improved sheep breeds. In the same prehistoric period, wool was equally popular for clothing in ancient Persia. As the Romans developed their empire in Spain, North Africa, and the British Isles, they brought sheep with them everywhere.
Globally, one of the largest producers of wool fibre is Australia, producing around 25% of the international wool supply. Australia produces roughly 345 million kilos of wool every year, which is about one-quarter of the global wool production.
One of the main reasons for China’s highest domestic wool production is the ethnic minority who used to live in the plains of mainland China. Wool is the primary source of revenue in some of these districts in this region. The high consumption of wool in China’s textile and apparel sectors is another reason for the country’s production of around 18% of the global wool output.
Wool fibre can be used for producing fabric for the following purposes:
Below are some of the most common types of wool derived from the fur of different animals, as they all possess unique characteristics;
Merino wool which comes from Merino sheep, is the finest and softest sheep’s wool. The Merino sheep originated in Spain, but around 80% of all Merino sheep presently come from Australia.
This type of wool is commonly used for apparel and clothing items. It provides the most luxuriant wool, with fine staples measuring approximately 20 to 25 microns in diameter and a delicate hand feel. Because of the lengthy staples (about 4.5 inches), it has an outstanding drape.
Virgin wool is another name used for lambswool. Lambswool is the name given to the wool extracted by the initial shearing of the lambs. Since each lamb only produces one ‘first shearing,’ it is comparatively expensive than other varieties of wool.
Lambswool is very soft, silky, and allergy-free. Lambswool is resistant to wrinkles, making it excellent for a wide variety of apparel items.
Cashmere wool is derived from the Kashmir goat. This type of goat is commonly found in China, India, Iran, Iraq, Tibet, and Turkistan regions. The finest fibres are around 18 microns, which originate from the goat’s undercoat, which is akin to superfine Merino wool. The cashmere wool fibres are extraordinarily soft with a natural crimp, which results in a lightweight and breathable fabric that responds to air humidity in all conditions.
It provides a great deal of insulation and is far less irritating than sheep’s wool.
Interested in learning more about Cashmere? We have an article dedicated to Cashmere here.
Mohair fibre is derived from the hair of the Angora goat, found in the Himalayan region. It is not the Angora rabbit, as some get confused by both. Angora goat has a thicker undercoat compared to a cashmere goat. Unlike cashmere, the guard hair from the goat topcoat is frequently intermingled with the undercoat hairs, which gives it a different look than other wools. The slightly rough short hair seen in the final product gives mohair a unique characteristic that is a frizzy look.
Interested in learning more about Mohair? We have an article dedicated to Mohair here.
Angora wool is derived from the Angora rabbit. It is fluffy and soft, with the ability to retain heat. Because the fibres are delicate, Angora wool is frequently blended with other fibres to make it stronger. Angora wool items are quite costly compared to mohair.
Alpaca wool is derived from a South American camelid mammal. Alpaca produces some of the finest hair on the planet. Alpaca itself cannot be used for clothing articles as it is slightly irritating to the skin. That is why Alpaca fibres are combined with Merino wool to increase draping properties.
The Bactrian camel, which is found in China and Mongolia, produces high-quality camel wool.
The fibres are extremely soft and fine, resulting in glossy, light wool. Compared to sheep’s wool, camel fleece is warmer, but it is less durable and wears out more quickly.
It is commonly used without dye because of its wonderful golden-brown natural colour, but it can also be dyed with bolder colours like a darker brown, red, or blue.
Because it is relatively rare, it is pretty expensive, so it is frequently blended with sheep’s wool to make it more cost-effective.
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