Wool is a versatile natural fiber that provides insulation through trapped air pockets. Different types of wool come from sheep, alpacas, goats, rabbits, and camels. Sheep's wool varieties include merino, lamb's wool, Shetland, and melton wool. Merino wool is particularly soft and breathable. Alpaca wool is softer than cashmere and lighter than sheep's wool. Mohair from goats is durable and lustrous. Angora wool from rabbits is exceptionally soft and warm. Cashmere from goats is extremely soft and lightweight. Camel hair is also luxurious and warm. Each wool type has distinct properties making it suitable for various clothing and textile applications.

1. Wool is water resistant.
The quality that distinguishes wool fibers from hair or fur is the presence of a hard, water-repellent
outer layer that surrounds each hollow fiber, overlapping like shingles on a roof. The
fiber's core absorbs up to 30% of its weight in moisture vapor without becoming damp or
clammy, while the hard outer layer protects against outside liquid moisture. Water is repelled,
but humidity is absorbed, and that helps with thermal regulation.
Wool is moisture wicking.
Besides keeping outside moisture away from the skin, wool also wicks away perspiration. When
you sweat, that sweat cools your skin-which is not what you want when it's cold outside. Wool
fibers absorb perspiration and wick it away from your body, thus keeping you warm and dry.
Wool is a wonderful insulator.
The crimp of the wool produces insulating air spaces that retain body heat. These warm air
pockets next to the skin are kept dry while the hollow wool fibers absorb moisture vapors and the
hard outer surface moves liquid moisture away from the body.
Wool regulates temperature and is breathable.
Wool has a very wide comfort range, essential for adapting to changing weather conditions. This
unique property makes wool the perfect fiber to be used in the production of outerwear, because
it has the versatile ability to warm in colder conditions and cool in warmer conditions.
Wool blends well.
Wool can be blended with many different natural and synthetic fibers to create a multitude of
fabric options.
Types of Wool
Sheep's Wool
There is an old Spanish proverb that says; "Wherever sheep's feet touch the ground, the land
turns to gold." Obviously the Spanish were onto something. Sheep's wool is the most popular
type of wool, due to it being widely available and highly versatile. Very fine quality wool is used
to make high-end fabrics for use in luxury garments likes suits, dresses, sweaters, and other
apparel. Medium quality wool is used in the production of heavier sport coats, sweaters, and light
blankets. Coarser wool is used for heavy blankets, topcoats and outerwear, and upholstery
products.
 Maintains shape when stretched.
 Is colorfast when dyed.
 Is wrinkle resistant.

2.  Is static-free.
 Is soft, durable, and easy to work with.
 Is naturally white, brown, grey, charcoal, and black.
 Is flame retardant.
Types of Sheep's Wool
Shetland
Raised in the Shetland Islands off the northern coast of Scotland, Shetland sheep produce very
fine, lustrous wool from the down of their soft undercoat. The warm, lightweight Shetland wool
is only available in limited quantities and natural colors and is mostly used in the production of
high-end knitwear (most often cable knit sweaters), sportswear, and coats.
Merino
Merino wool has superior shine, legendary softness, great breathability, and a lot of warmth for
minimal weight. Merino sheep are most often raised in the mountainous regions of Australia and
New Zealand. The wool is lauded for its easily dye-able pure white color. It is fine, strong,
naturally elastic, holds dye well, and its softness resembles the hand of cashmere. Merino wool
does not have the itchy feel of some wools, is odor absorbent, and provides high levels of UV
protection.
Today, there are more than ten varieties of merino sheep worldwide. Some well known merino
breeds are Australian, Pepin, Saxony, Rambouillet, Vermont, and South African.
Lamb’s wool
This is the highest quality of sheep's wool on the market. Lamb’s wool is taken from sheep at
their first shearing (usually at around seven months old). It is supremely soft, smooth, resilient,
elastic, and has superior spinning properties. Because of its soft silkiness and warmth, lamb’s
wool fibers are used in the production of garments worn close to the skin. Lamb’s wool is the
most hypoallergenic of all wools and is resistant to dust mites, making it an ideal choice for
bedding and linens.
Laden Wool
Laden wool originated in the Tyrolean Alps in the 16th century and is still highly popular among
sportsmen today. It is characterized by a slightly `greasy' feeling and is most often used in the
making of heavy coats. Laden’s luxurious nap is combed downward, creating a shingle effect
that sheds water very effectively.
Melton Wool
Melton wool is thick with a smooth surface. The wool is napped and very closely sheared.
Melton wool makes a very solid cloth due to the finishing processes that completely conceal the

3. weave. It's durable, wears well, and is wind resistant. In its thicker weights, melton wool is used
in the production of heavy outerwear. If the wool is a thinner weight, it is used mostly in the
production of sweaters.
Wool Grades
The type or grade of wool is selected to suit the needs of the product being made, with
appropriate fiber length, fineness, and other properties to ensure the best end result.
 Virgin wool has two definitions. First, it is the wool taken from a lamb's first shearing.
This is the softest and finest wool produced. Second, virgin wool can refer to wool that
has never been used, processed, or woven before. This type of virgin wool can come from
an adult sheep.
 'Super' wools are classified by the count or the fineness of the yarn used in a particular
cloth. The finer the count (measured in microns), the more fibers are used per square inch
of cloth. The higher the number, the finer and softer the cloth will be.
 'Super' wools are put into the following categories: Super 100's, Super 110's, Super 120's,
and Super 150's. For example, Super 100's wool must contain fibers which are finer than
18 microns. Super 150's wool must contain fibers which are finer than 15 microns.
(Statistically, Super 150's wool is finer than cashmere.)
 Boiled wool is created through a washing process applied to knitted wool to make a
dense, durable, and water resistant fabric. Boiled wool has the suppleness of a knit with
the shape retention of a woven fabric. It has two-way stretch and is usually soil resistant.
Boiled wool is used to make hats, gloves, scarves, and a variety of outerwear.
 Worsted wool has been manufactured in Worsted, England since the eighteenth century.
Wool fibers are spun into compact, smoothly twisted yarn before weaving or knitting.
The wool then goes through a second combing process which removes unwanted short
fibers. Because the remaining long-staple fibers lay flat and parallel, worsted wool is a
popular choice for suiting and dress trousers. It is also wrinkle and crease resistant.
 Tropical weight wool is a two-ply, plain weave, worsted wool that is sturdy but
lightweight, airy, and breathable. Tropical wool (sometimes called `summer weight wool)
is used in the production of warm-weather suits and other clothing items.
 Shearing is lambskin or sheepskin that has been tanned with the wool still adhering to the
skin. It is luxuriously soft, naturally moisturizing, and used in high-quality outerwear and
slippers.
 Flannel, fleece, gabardine, and tweed are all popular fabrics that are made from sheep's
wool or a sheep's wool blend.
Alpaca Wool
Softer and sturdier than cashmere and lighter than sheep's wool, alpaca fleece is a luxurious
commodity that produces warm, silky, durable, and feather-light garments. Alpaca wool boasts
tremendous warmth and insulation with soft drape and texture.
It's used in upscale suits, sportswear, sweaters, the linings of outerwear, draperies, bedspreads,
upholstery, and baby clothing and blankets.

4. There are two breeds of alpaca, the Huacaya and the Sure, and they produce more than 20
different colors of fleece between them. The common Huacaya breed produces dense, thick,
crimped, and fast-growing fleece. The rarer Sure alpaca have long lustrous fleece that takes more
time to grow.
 Is fine, silky, and lightweight.
 Has a nice luster.
 Is strong and durable.
 Does not generally pill.
Mohair
The Angora goat produces mohair wool, known for its silkiness and lustrous sheen. A very good
insulator, mohair is also strong, durable, breathable, and lightweight. Although it accepts dyes
well, natural mohair wool fabric is exceptionally beautiful because of its color variations. Mohair
fabrics tend to be non-crushing, non-matting, and non-pilling. Mohair is used in high-quality
suiting, sweaters, dresses, scarves, blankets, upholstery, and baby clothing and blankets.
 Lustrous and silky.
 Lightweight but exceptionally durable.
 Drapes well.
 Non-crushing, non-matting, non-pilling.
 Absorbs dye well.
 Does not stretch so it's easy to care for.
Angora
Angora wool is an extraordinarily soft fiber produced from the fur of the Angora rabbit. Angora
fibers are hollow, which gives them loft and a characteristic `floating' feel. They're exceptionally
soft and possess the highest heat retention (two-and-a-half times warmer than sheep's wool), and
best moisture-wicking properties of any natural fiber.
Pure angora fibers are rarely woven into fabric because the fibers are so fine and fragile. Rather,
they are blended with other wools to increase warmth and enhance softness.
Because Angora involves a laborious harvesting process and a small number of producers, most
angora wool products are expensive. Angora is used in luxury undergarments, underwear,
thermal base layers, sweaters, scarves, and sportswear.
 Extremely soft, lofty, lustrous, and lightweight.
 Durable.
 Best heat retention of all natural wool.
 Non-odor absorbing.
Cashmere

5. Cashmere is an extremely soft, luxury fabric made from the hair of the Kashmir goat. Native to
India, Tibet, Turkistan, Iran, Iraq, and China, the Kashmir goat produces hair with a lofty feel
and natural crimp.
Technically, cashmere is the downy wool that grows beneath the goat's coarser outer hair and is
gathered by combing the goat rather than clipping it. Only a few ounces of cashmere can be
harvested per goat each year.
The natural crimp of cashmere fibers helps them interlock during processing and allows the
fibers to be spun into a very fine and lightweight fabric. The crimp of the fiber correlates with
the fineness of the spun yarn and the softness of the finished product. The fabric retains the loft
of the fibers which makes it warm without weight. Because of its extreme warmth, light weight,
and softness against skin, cashmere is used in sweaters, scarves, and undergarments. Coarser
cashmere is used in outerwear.
 Is a luxury fabric.
 Is lightweight and lofty.
 Adjusts to humidity in the air for adaptability in all climates.
 Is not known for its durability.
Because cashmere has high moisture content, its insulating properties change with the amount of
humidity in the air, making it comfortable in all climates (even warm ones).
Camel Hair
Like other luxury wools, camel hair is extremely soft, durable, lustrous, lightweight, and warm.
Clothing manufacturers prefer the fabric in its natural state (a buttery, golden brown), but it is
sometimes dyed navy, red, or dark brown. Since it is so highly prized and expensive to harvest,
camel hair is usually blended with sheep's wool to make it more economical for the manufacturer
to produce.
Camel hair comes from the Bactrian (two hump) camel, which is bred in the extremely cold
climates of China and Mongolia. The hair is gathered when the camel molts instead of by
shearing or clipping. The fibers are used in the making of suits, coats, blazers, jackets, skirts,
hosiery, caps, and robes. Because of its warmth, camel hair is also widely used for sweaters,
gloves, scarves, mufflers, overcoats, quilts, etc.