Wool is mainly composed of protein. The use of wool by humans can be traced back to the Neolithic Age, and it spread from Central Asia to the Mediterranean and other parts of the world and became the main textile raw material in Asia and Europe.

Wool fibers are soft and elastic and can be used to make textiles such as woolen cloth, woolen yarn, blankets, and felt. Wool products have the characteristics of a plush feel, good warmth retention, and comfort when worn.

Sheep wool accounts for a considerable proportion of textile raw materials. Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and China have the largest sheep wool production in the world. Sheep wool is divided into five categories according to fineness and length: fine wool, semi-fine wool, long wool, hybrid wool, and coarse wool.

The breeds of sheep wool in China include Mongolian wool, Tibetan wool and Kazakh wool. The main factors for evaluating the quality of wool are fineness, crimp, color, strength and weed content.

In addition, wool also has some well-known advantages.

1. Gloss

Wool fibers are shiny. Fine and medium wool fibers tend to be more lustrous than coarser wool fibers. Fibers with high gloss have a smooth appearance.

2. Elasticity

Wool fiber has excellent elasticity and flexibility. Under standard conditions, wool fibers can elongate between 20% and 40%. In a humid environment, it can extend to more than 70%. The recovery rate is super strong.

After applying 2% elongation, the fiber was able to recover immediately, and the recovery rate reached 99%. Even after 10% elongation, it has a recovery rate of over 50%, which is higher than any other fiber except nylon. The resilience of wool is very good. It can return to its original shape after being crushed and crumpled.

3. Water absorption

The standard moisture regains of wool are 13.6% to 16%. Under saturated conditions, wool can absorb more than 29% of its weight in water. This absorbency allows wool to survive in damp, cold environments. As for moisture absorption, wool generates and releases heat.

4. Antistatic

Wool itself is antistatic. This is because wool is an organic substance with moisture in it, so the medical profession generally believes that wool does not irritate the skin too much.

Wool is just a general term. According to different textures and prices, wool also has different classifications.

1. Virgin wool: refers to the wool shaved from sheep for the first time, which is soft and precious.

2. Lamb's wool: wool taken from a baby sheep of about seven months.

3. Merino wool: It is the wool closest to cashmere, and its output is larger than cashmere. It will be used as an entry-level substitute for cashmere.

4. Mohair: Also known as angora goat, it has strong gloss, fluffy hair, is not easy to pill, and is easy to dye.

5. Alpaca wool: The texture is similar to cashmere, and some varieties are even better than cashmere. Warmth is much higher than wool.