Submitted by: Pat Munro

Where is Merino wool from?

Merino wool has been a mainstay of the North American industry since the early part of the 19th century. This is because the sheep have deep wrinkled folds which produce larger quantities of wool than other types of sheep. Due to Spanish wool import restrictions in 1807, North American farmers started to import their own Merino sheep and by 1810 an American diplomat arranged for 20,000 purebred Merino sheep to be imported from Spain. The woolen industry exploded into what is still loved to this day.

There are a few very important steps necessary to process and manufacture Merino wool. These steps are: shearing, cleaning, grading and sorting, carding, spinning, weaving and of course finishing. What follows is a quick run down of each step in the line of wool fabric manufacturing and production.

Shearing

Merino sheep are sheared once a year, usually in the spring after the wool has thickened from the cold winter. Depending on the size of the sheep, the amount of wool a qualified sheep shearer can cut is between 7-18 pounds. A good shearer can shear the wool off the sheep in one piece which is advantageous to the processing phase. Today there are machines which can shear sheep, but never outdone by a professional person.

Sorting and Grading

This is the process to define quality of wool. Different grades for the wool are taken from different parts of the sheeps body. Highest grades are clipped from the shoulders and sides of the Merino sheep; this wool is what is primarily used for clothing. Rugs use lesser grades of wool products; this is clipped from the lower legs of the sheep.

Cleaning

Raw wool (uncleaned) is contaminated with dirt, grease and sweat from the animal and adds about 30-60% of extra weight to the fleece. The process of removing the extra weight is a bath of water, soap and soda ash. Water is squeezed from the fleece, but not allowed to dry completely in order to be able to treat it with oils to increase manageability.

Carding

This is the process of combing the fleece through metal teeth attached to boards. Carding not only removes impurities from the wool but also helps to straighten the fiber and blend it into segments.

Spinning

Wool thread is created by spinning the fleece fibers together to form a strand of Merino yarn. Depending on the amount of fibers spun together, the wools strength is determined. Wool spinning is done on a mule spinning machine. Once is has been spun it is wrapped around cones for easy access for processing.

Weaving

This is the process of creating fabric from spun wool. Manufacturers use two different weaves, plain and twill. Plain weave produces a loose weave and soft surface with little luster. Twill weaves are created from worsted wools; this creates a tighter weave, and a smoother and a more durable fabric which makes the worsted twilled wool finer and more expensive.

Finishing

The procedure for finishing includes: fulling -which makes the fibers interlock by immersing it in water, crabbing setting the interlock weave permanently, decating-shrink proofing the fibers and dyeing which can be done before carding as well.

So, now that you know all about Merino wool get out there and get some. It is one of the finest and softest wools available, and anything you make with it will be loved and admired by all. Its my favorite.

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Source:

isnare.com

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