Woolen and worsted: two ways to make wool cloth.

REF-01

Woolen vs. Worsted at a Glance

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Inside a Woolen Mill

1. 01Sort & grade — fleeces are split by fineness, length and color.
2. 02Scour — washing removes lanolin, dirt and suint (dried sweat).
3. 03Dye in the stock — loose fiber is often dyed before spinning for deep, even color.
4. 04Blend & oil — lots are mixed for consistency and lightly oiled for carding.
5. 05Card — wire-covered rollers open the fiber into a web, then a condenser splits it into roving.
6. 06Spin — roving is drafted and twisted into yarn.
7. 07Warp & weave — yarn is wound onto the loom beam and woven into greige cloth.
8. 08Mend — every piece is inspected and flaws are repaired by hand.
9. 09Full — heat, moisture and pressure shrink and lock the weave into dense cloth.
10. 10Nap & shear — the surface is raised, then sheared to an even height.
11. 11Press & finish — steam and pressure set the final hand and width.

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Fulling: Why Woolen Cloth Blocks Wind

Wool fibers carry microscopic overlapping scales. With heat, moisture and agitation they ratchet together and lock. A mill controls this on purpose as fulling (or milling): the cloth shrinks in length and width, the weave closes up, and the fabric becomes dense enough to shed wind and light rain.

The same process is what ruins a sweater in a hot wash. The only difference is control.

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Classic Woolen Fabrics