Learning About Scottish Wool

Posted July 8, 2010 at 11:09 am

Wool is a natural fabric made from the fleece of animals; mainly sheep. The term "wool" is used to describe the fibrous protein that is derived from the follicles of sheep. There are many types of wool, and other than the sheep, they are also derived from other animals of the Caprinae family. They are animals such as goats that produce cashmere and mohair, vicuna and alpaca from camels and angora from rabbits. Unlike hair and fur, it grows in staples, is crimped and elastic. If you take a closer look at wool fibers using a microscope, you will see that they have distinct characteristics. One example is its minute scales that play a big role to its resistance to water or moisture, even stains, mildew and mold. This is mostly because of the waxy coating called lanolin. The coarse grades accounts for the scratchiness that one feels against the skin.

Wool grows in staples and is crimped and elastic - unlike hair and fur that grows in strands. They have distinct qualities that accounts for its resistance to water, molds, mildew and stains. This is mostly due to its minute scales that resemble a stack of cones if viewed from under a microscope and the waxy coating called lanolin. The coarse grade of the fibers accounts for the itchiness that one feels when skin is in direct contact with the fabric.

Clothing made from Scottish wool is often called tweed. It is a coarse, itchy and unfinished woolen fabric which is woven into different patterns. They usually have subdued and interesting color patterns which are achieved by twisting together strands of different colors to make 2-3 ply yarns.

Tweed is a type of fabric that is made out of Scottish wool. It is a coarse, itchy and unfinished woolen fabric that is woven into different distinct patterns. These patterns are achieved by twisting strands of different colors together to make yarns. The most famous of its variety is the Harris Tweed which is a luxury fabric - not only used to make outer jackets but is also used by big manufacturers and brands to make shoes, luggage and other items.

In Scotland, tweeds are commonly used for outerwear especially for activities such as hunting and shooting. As with any other woolen fabric, tweeds provide warmth and have strong resistance to moisture -- making it perfect for winter wear. Other tweed garments are made of silk and some are combination of silk and wool. They closely resemble the woolen tweeds as they have the same roughness and interesting, subdued color patterns. However, they are more lightweight and are often used in women's fashion wear. One difference between the wool tweed and the silk tweed is that the silk tweed can also be used for summer jackets. With all the good qualities of Scottish wool, one has to take extra care especially in laundering. Wool garments are prone to shrinkage, for this reason you should take note of the care instructions as given by manufacturers as different wool garments vary in cleaning requirements.