Tuesday 2 April 2013

Guest Post: The Best Types of Wool on the Market

Today I am excited to have Sandy over to blog about the best types of Wool on the market.


The fuel of knitters worldwide and the means of staying warm for many of us, wool is one of the most used materials across a vast range of clothing and household products. But if you think of sheep when you hear the word wool it’s time to broaden your horizons as there’s more to wool than initially meets the eyes. Or rather, there are different types of wool and each one varies in terms of quality, characteristics, appeal and source.
Manufacturers often blend different wools together to get a desired look and texture. This also impacts on the price of an end product, such as a jumper or cardigan, and makes the likes of Cashmere products more affordable as a result.
Among the many different types of wool available are these five popular ones:

Alpaca

The wool from an Alpaca can be made to be light or heavy, depending on the type of spin it undergoes. Soft and durable, this wool is used in a range of items from clothing to upholstery thanks to its premium qualities. As well as being comfortable to wear and touch, Alpaca is hypoallergenic thanks to it being lanolin free, and water repellent.

Angora

Produced using the coat of an Angora rabbit, this wool is known for its softness, thin fibres and fluffy nature. Warmer and lighter than most wools, Angora also boasts a silky sheen and is highly regarded in the world of fashion.
Angora rabbits boast coats in a range of colours, enhancing this wool’s appeal – colours include white, grey, brown and black. Normally, Angora is blended with sheep’s wool in clothing to prevent the item from overheating the wearer.

Cashmere

Spun from the hair of Kashmir goats, Cashmere is the height of luxury and highly sought after in clothing products. Both warm and durable, you can tell a Cashmere item of clothing just by a quick feel – luxurious to the touch as well as super soft.

Merino

The essence of quality, Merino wool has the special twin qualities of being warm yet cool. It is lightweight, soft and stretchy, and perfect for wearing all the year round as a result of its wicking qualities – the fibres absorb moisture and draws it away from the skin, holding onto this in cold weather to keep the wearer warm but releasing it through the process of evaporation when the temperature rises. It is for this reason Merino is so commonly used in the making of premium sports clothing, as it enables the body temperature to be regulated.

Mohair

The fibres from an Angora goat are silky, durable and gorgeous to look at. Making luxurious clothing, Mohair also benefits from being able to keep the wearer warm or cold depending on what is required. Drawing moisture away from the body, heat stays close to the body when it’s cold but is removed in the warmer weather, making the use of Mohair appealing to the consumer due to the flexibility of when the clothing can be comfortably worn.
Featured images:

Knitting is a great passion for Sandy, also a lover a quality cashmere products such as cashmere scarves


Thank you so much for visiting Sandy, it has been a pleasure to have you over :)

If you would like to be a guest-blogger on Marigolds' Loft I would love to hear from you. You can find out more HERE

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for the interesting information. Tina

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Tina,
      Thank you so much for visiting.
      x

      Delete

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