Pus​hing Textiles  Forward through technology-

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At the Museum of the Great Plains, in Cache, Oklahoma there is a replica of an old west trading post that was just recently refurbished.  In its day, the most in demand items at the trading post included wool blankets and kettles.  The wool blankets were preferable above bearskin because the wool stayed warm when wet unlike bearskin. 


Wool and its natural companion, Lanolin, simultaneously attract and repel water, resulting in a fiber that can absorb 30% of its weight in water without feeling wet and generate it's own heat. In fact, one pound of damp wool can generate as much heat as an electric blanket over the course of about 9 hours while the water evaporates.  And that ain't all folks, wool has flame retardant properties with an ignition point of 500 degrees fahrenheit, twice that of wood.  Wool is antimicrobial, and wool used to be used as insulation in electronic wiring.


Science does not have all the answers as to why wool is so phenomenal, but we can delve into the many ways science can explain the amazing properties of wool, a working fiber.


Wool gets its strength from its central cortex consisting of spindle shaped cells which provide strength, crimp and are sometimes air filled to provide insulation.  Different cell types absorb water at different rates resulting in a crimped fiber.  High sulfur proteins in wool cells absorb water well, creating an absorbent fiber.    Crimped fiber consisting of helical coiled cells have a large surface area where stress and tension expands across the fiber making it less likely to snap and fray.  Fiber strength and resiliency are important characteristics in converting fibers into yarn, fabric and clothing or blankets.  


Lanolin is secreted from the sheep's sebaceous glands onto the wool.  It is a yellow fat compound of long-chain waxy esters or sterol esters without glycerides.  It is hydrophobic.  


Wool also has antimicrobial properties.


The properties of wool result in a cozy temperature even in damp climates.  The amount of surface area provided in crimped fibers helps the fibers to absorb tension and stress.  The hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties result in an insulating effect that lends itself to knitwear.   






Wool and Lanolin