Michigan Institute of Laundering & Dry Cleaning

Buying and Caring for Wool

What is Wool?

Wool is a fiber made from the fleece of the domestic sheep. The wool yarns are used to make "woolen" or "worsted" fabrics. Woolen fabrics are made from short wool fibers twisted together. The resulting fabric has a soft, fuzzy feel and does not have a distinct weave pattern. Examples of woolen fabrics are Flannel, soft finished Tweeds, and Melton. Worsted fabrics are made from long wool fibers laid parallel and spun. Worsted fabrics are hard finished, and have a distinct weave pattern. Examples of worsted fabrics are Gabardine, Serge, and Cavalry Twill.

Why Wool?

Wool is a beautiful and durable natural fiber which can give many years of service, when properly purchased and cared for. Nothing looks or wears better than the warm and rich texture of quality wool garments.

• Wool is warm and comfortable, it absorbs moisture readily without the wearer feeling cold.
• Wool is resilient and resists wrinkling.
• Many wool fabrics are naturally water resistant.
• Wool holds deep nap without matting.
• Wool tailors very well because of its ability to be shaped.

Wool Labeling

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires wool garments to be classified and labeled according to amount and type of wool.

• Wool, Virgin Wool or Pure New Wool: Wool that has never been processed, in any way, before its complete manufacture into a finished fabric.
• Recycled or Reused Wool: Wool obtained from scraps of new wool or rags and old clothing from previously worn or used wool. The wool is returned to fiber form, cleansed or over-dyed and spun again into new yarns.
• Reprocessed Wool: Wool that has been reclaimed from manufactured products that have not been used by a consumer, including dyed or undyed yarn and fabric scraps from mills and clothing manufacturers. The wool is returned to fiber form and spun into new yarns, which are used to make fabrics of low to medium quality.
• Woolblend Mark: Registered trademark owned by the IWS that identifies products containing at least 60 percent pure new wool, blended with just one other fiber. Like the Woolmark, it assures the consumer of quality.
• Woolmark Labels: Are only allowed on garments whose manufacturers meet the high standards of the Wool Bureau Inc. These trademarks assure the consumer of quality tested fabrics.

How to care for your wool

Although wool is a durable, resilient fiber, it must be cared for properly.

• Care Label: Almost all garments sold retail are required to have a care instruction label. This label specifies whether a garment is to be washed, dry cleaned, the ironing temperature, whether bleach can be used, etc. Always follow the care instructions when caring for your garments.
• Knit Garments: It is best not to hang knit garments. Because of the loose construction typical of knits, they will stretch and distort. Fold knit garments neatly and lie flat in a drawer. If you must hang them, fold them over the crossbar of a padded hanger. Knit garments are more susceptible to shrinkage, therefore you may want to measure them before cleaning to allow for blocking back to original size.
• Shrinkage: Unless treated otherwise, wool fibers will shrink when exposed to excessive heat and moisture. A sever shrinkage known as "felting" is irreversible. Normal shrinkage can often be corrected by your cleaner. Be sure to follow the care label instructions that come with the garment.
• Piling: Piling is caused by the balling up of loosened fiber ends and occurs in mostly woolens and wool blend fabrics because of the short staple fibers in the yarn. Piling occurs in areas of wear, such as elbows, sleeves, seat, etc. Sometimes, piling can be corrected by brushing, other times it is a permanent condition.
• Moths: Moths lay their eggs on garments and when the eggs hatch the larvae will attack the fibers in the garment resulting in severe damage. The moths and their larvae are more attracted to garments which have food or beverage stains on them. Therefore, clean all garments thoroughly before storage.

Cleaning your wool

Press and clean wools regularly as needed and treat all stains promptly. Studies show that soils and dirt in a garment decrease its service life. Additionally, stains left in garments will "oxidize" over time and will be more difficult to remove. Also, food and beverage stains will attract fiber destroying insects such as moths. Regular cleaning will actually increase the service life of your garments.

Color Loss: Most dyes in wool, except some red colors, are durable and stable. However, bleach, ammonia, salt from perspiration, and underarm deodorants may cause a color loss or change in some dyed wools. Always allow deodorants to dry before dressing, or use a dress shield. Avoid contact with bleaches or ammonia (unless the care label indicated otherwise). Beware of designs which are "painted" or glued onto knit garments. Many times they will crack and peel from the flexing of the knit fibers in wear and cleaning.

Optical Brighteners: Optical brighteners are fluorescent dyes which enhance the brilliance or whiteness of the fabric by converting ultraviolet wave lengths into visual wave lengths.

Terms to Know

Alpaca: Specialty hair fiber from the alpaca, a members of the South American llama family. It is softer, finer, more lustrous and stronger than sheep's wool, but in relatively short supply.

Angora: Angora is obtained from the Angora rabbit. Angora is a long luxurious fiber usually found in sweaters, because of its high cost it is usually combined with wool.

Boiled wools: Thick, dense fabric that is heavily filled to completely obscure its knitted construction. It has the suppleness of a knit, with the stability and shape retention of woven fabric.

Botany wools: Originally referred to merino wool shipped from Australia's Botany Bay. Today, it is a generic term used to describe superlative wools and fine worsted sweaters.

Camel hair: Obtained from the Bactrian camel of Asia. Camel hair provides lightweight warmth and is prized as a coat fabric. Camel hair varies greatly in quality; consumers should read the fiber content label carefully.

Cashmere: Comes from a goat named after the Kashmir region in North India. Cashmere is a fine luxury fabric, but it is fragile and does not wear well under normal use.

Chenille: Any fabric made with chenille yarns, which have fibers protruding from all sides like a pipe cleaner.

Cool wool: Not a single type of fabric or knit, but the symbol for a variety of extremely lightweight wool fabrics and knitwear that already meet the standards for the Woolmark. Cool wool fabrics can take the form of a traditional glen plaid or an unconventionally sheer gauze, as long as the fabric weighs 6.5 to 8 ounces per yard or less and is made from smooth worsted yarns.

Felt: Non-woven fabric made by layering thin sheets of carded wool fibers, then applying heat, moisture and pressure to shrink and compress the fibers into a thick matted cloth that will not ravel or fray.

Guanaco: this animal is found in South America. It produces a fine fiber between the Alpaca and the Vicuna in texture.

Homespun: Rough, course, tweed-like fabric made with thick, uneven yarns and a plain weave. Once made by hand, now produced in power looms.

Lambs wool: Wool shorn from lambs up to 7 months old. Lambs wool is softer than wool from older animals.

Llamas Wool: The llama of South America is the source of this fiber. Llamas wool is usually blended with sheep wool.

Merino: Very fine wool from the Merino breed of sheep, used to make the finest of woolen and worsted cloths.

Mohair: Fiber from the angora goat. Mohair is soft, smooth, and lustrous. It is usually blended with wool in many fabrics.

Nap: Soft, fuzzy surface produced on a fabric by brushing it to raise the fiber.

Saxony: General term for especially high quality fabrics of merino wool, usually used for coats and suits. The term originally described fabrics made only from the wool of Saxony sheep, a superior strain of merino developed in Germany.

Shetland: Very fine, lustrous wool from the downy soft undercoat of Shetland sheep, raised on the Shetland Islands off the Northern coast of Scotland. Available in limited quantities of natural colors and used to make soft knitwear, sportswear and coats. The term has been used rather loosely by the apparel industry to describe similar fabrics and clothing, especially sweaters, made from coarser type soft wool.

Specialty Hair Fibers: Wool-like fibers from other animals, including the alpaca, llama, vicuna, cashmere goat, angora goat, angora rabbit and Bactrian camel.

Vicuna: The Vicuna produces the finest and softest wool in existence. The Vicuna is a small species of llama native to the Andes Mountains in South America. Because it cannot be domesticated, it must be killed to obtain its valuable hair. Peru has very strict hunting regulations and quotas for these animals, thus the supply of Vicuna is limited and it is a very expensive fiber. The Vicuna is an endangered species.

Weight: In the United States, fabric weight is expressed in terms of ounces per linear yard, no matter how narrow or wide the cloth. Woolen and worsted fabrics are usually 58 to 60 inches wide. In other parts of the world, fabric weight is expressed in terms of grams per linear meter. For scientific purposes, fabric weight is recorded in ounces per square yard or grams per square meter.

Select a professional

When selecting a cleaner to care for your fine wool garments you will want to select a professional. As in any profession, the professionals support their trade association, keep current with new technologies and processes, and know that quality and customer service are the essence of their profession. MILD cleaners are professionals. If you are not sure your cleaner is a member of MILD, call (877) 390-6453.