June 07, 2012

Amazing Fibres from Animals, the Wool Fibres



Rearing of the animal is an old phenomenon. Man has been domesticating the animals for varied reasons. Wool rearing is thus a tradition that is, if not accurate then at least 4000 years old. For the early stone age fleece served as a tunic or sleeveless shirt, worn just as it came from the animal’s back. By Neolithic time a simple loom was invented and handloom weaving was well on its way. The earliest record of woolen clothing is found for the Babylon..Incidentally the Babylon means “Land of wool”
The word "wool" is used for fibers from sheep, Angora or Cashmere goats, camel, alpaca, llama, and vicuna.
The soft, crimpy and curly fibres obtained chiefly from fleece of reared animals.  Wool is a natural protein like human hair but one differentiating factor that makes its ideal for textile is the scales on its outer surface. They are numerous and interlock under pressure, the process commonly known as felting. Scales varies with fineness and its crimp makes it a resilient fibre. High tensile strength, resilience and elasticity allows it to retain its shape better than the other fabric made from natural fibres.  Another important characteristic is its insulating properties, lightness and ability to absorb moisture. This insulating property helps the animal living in extreme weather conditions (extreme hot and extreme cold) to cope up with the nature.
                                                            

The quality of the wool is dependent upon several parameters. Fibre diameter, fibre length, amount of vegetable matter, dirt and other impurities that are clung together with the fibre.  Such dirts are removed through a process called scouring.
Fibre diameter is probably the single most important factor in determining the quality of fibre. Small diameter fibre are good for apparels and clothing. The large diameter fibres do not work well during the felting, but as they are stronger and less likely to break during carding and combing, they are more suitable for rugs and carpets.

Characteristics of Wool Fibres

n  Protein fibre
n  Flame resistant, it generally extinguishes the fire itself, when the source is removed
n  When wet, its weaker than cotton or linen
n  Fibre length, 1-14 inches
n  Wonderful insulator
n  Must be washed gently or dry cleaned
n  Easily acceptance to dyes
n  Moisture absorber
n  Doesn’t attract dirt



Animals  reared for Woolen fibres



Sheep


Sheep, is one of the first reared animal for its fibres. They are easy to herd and provides man with basic needs since ages; food and clothing. Merino breed of sheep is prized for its one of the softest and finest wool. Sheep are sheared once every year in spring, between February and June. The shearing doesn’t hurt the sheep and hardly takes 5 minutes. The wool is shorn from the sheep in a single piece, called fleece. Fleeces are rolled up and packed, the process of wool making starts from here.

Alpacca



This social herd animal is a wooly mammal. They are gentle, inquisitive, observant and intelligent. Found mostly in South America, a mature Alpacca weighs around 50 to 80 kgs and 34-38 inches tall. Alpacca are valued only for their fleece hair-like fibres, unlike the woolen fibres found in sheep. Alpacca fleece is primarily used for blankets, sweaters, hats,gloves, scarves, socks, coats, textiles, and ponchos (outer garment designed to keep body warm). The fibre is 5 times warmer and more durable than sheep’s fleece.  Its also lightweight due to microscopic air packets giving it high thermal capacity. Its fibre grows to 8-10 inches in a year and weighs anywhere between ½ to 4 kg. It is one of the finest fibres and compares with Mohair, Cashmere and other rare fibres.

Qiviut



One of the finest fibres known to man Qiviut is the downy, soft underside wool from the Arctic Musk. The soft brownish under hair of Musk ox is known as Qiviut. They have the longest hair found in animals sometimes ranging to 25 inches. It is 8 times warmer and stronger than sheep’s wool. Also it is finer than Cashmere wool. Perhaps this is the most valuable and expensive wool, mankind has ever known. Spun into wool, Qiviut is used to make warm woolen clothing, hats, scarves and mitts (a woman's glove that extends over the hand but does not cover the fingers). Musk ox shed their clothes during Summer and Spring. They are still not domesticated and the wool that attached to the bushes while the Musk Ox walks by is collected and used.








Kashmiri or Cashmere Goats are mainly found in Jammu and Kashmir state of India, China and Mongolia. The wool obtained from them is known as Pashmina. The body of Cashmere goat has two covering. The outer covering hair is straighter and coarser known as guard hair while the under layer of hair is extremely soft and warm. The Cashmere Goats naturally shed their hairs during several week period in Spring which is then collected by Kashmiris to form the Pashmina product in India. In China and Mongolia the under hair is removed using a coarse comb. The animals are sheared in Iran, Afghanistan, Australia and New Zealand. Their hair are extremely warm to protect from extreme cold in Himalayan region. Their fibres are very adaptable and constructed well into yarns. Though they are less durable than wool but they are very warm and hence very expensive. The Cashmere Goats fibre is used in making Shawls, Scarves, Sweaters, Jackets and Gloves.


Angora rabbits/Bunny Hair



Angora hair is obtained from Angora rabbits originally seen in France, It well, pure Angora wool is difficult to make as they are too fine to be woven and simply unravel. Usually they are mixed with Cashmere Goats and Lamb’s wool. They are very warm and used in trim sweaters or knit hats and scarves. Generally viewed as Luxury fibres, they are very very expensive.aly and Japan but now reared in China, Chile and USA.


Angora Goats/Mohair Fibre



Angora Goats are mainly found in mountains of Tibet and Turkey. The long hairs ranging from 9-12 inches are silk-like fibres, known as Mohair Fibre. They are very silky, lustrous and good absorber. They resist the flame, dirt and often are anti-wrinkle. Mohair fibre is used for Carpets,Sweaters, Coats, Home Furnishing, Wigs etc.






Llamas



Llamas are the cousins of Alpacca. Llamas hair is obtained from animal which look like camel, 1/3 rd of its size. Its fibre is insulative, coarse, lightweight and brown (generally) in color. Their fiber is used for garments, rugs, blankets etc.
Camel



Camel hair is collected from two humped Bactrian Camel found from East of Turkey to China and North to Siberia. Their hair is also called high quality Coat fibre, often mixed with wool protects from both cold and hot. Fibre is strong, lustrous, smooth, warm, lightweight and thermostatic. End use includes Over coats and jackets, blazers and sweaters, Skirts, Paintbrushes, Gloves and hosiery items, Scarves, mufflers, caps Carpets and waterproofcoats etc . They are also the expensive fibers.

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