Characteristics of wool and why to wear it even at higher temperatures

When we talk about wool, we always think of a fabric that can only be worn in winter or at very low temperatures, but this is not really the case, let’s see why.

In this article I want to show you all the characteristics, the qualities of wool and the beauty of this fabric.

Wool is a natural fiber of animal origin, the most widespread is that coming from the fleece of sheep, goats, rabbits, camels, but there are really many types.

For thousands of years it has been appreciated as one of the most effective forms of protection against all atmospheric agents known to man, and science has not yet managed to produce a fiber capable of equaling its exclusive properties.

It is a sustainable fiber because it is completely biodegradable, ecological and recyclable.

As I mentioned before, wool with its natural properties, in fact, is considered a real no-season fabric, this is because it is a natural insulator due to the fact that the external structure of the fiber is a covering of scales overlapping each other, unlike than other fibers which instead have a smoother structure. The thermal insulation of this fabric is mainly based on the quantity of air that its fibers are able to trap, therefore the more air they capture, the more they guarantee this insulating power.

What is not known is that it is an excellent fiber also for resisting the highest temperatures because it retains body heat and absorbs humidity more than any other fibre, at the same time it does not feel wet because it returns it to the environment.

I know it may seem absurd to you but the Bedouins in the desert wear woolen clothing in contact with the skin, this is because if on average our body heat is around 36° degrees, in the desert temperatures can reach up to 50°-60° degrees , in this way they protect themselves from the extreme external heat and keep themselves “cooler”.

Merino wool, thinner than classic wool, has a greater ability to adapt quickly to body temperature and therefore be, if necessary, very warm or, on the contrary, very cool.

For all these reasons it fights excessive sweating and that bad feeling of wetness and bad smell, which we might have if we wore acrylic (synthetic fiber similar to wool). For example, although cotton is always a fiber of natural origin, it should be avoided in situations where you sweat a lot because on the contrary it retains the feeling of wetness and does not dry quickly. In fact, wool sweaters, socks and leggings are used a lot by those who practice trekking for all these reasons mentioned above.

Another point in its favor is that wool hardly wrinkles so it is an excellent ally for those who hate the iron.

Many avoid wool because it stings, there are some types of wool that sting and that’s true, but it’s the cheapest and poorest wool. Merino wool, alpaca, mohair and cashmere do not have this type of problem because they have very thin yarns.

So what is the solution? If you have a wool sweater that pinches, put a fine merino wool sweater in contact with the skin and you will see that you will no longer have this type of problem.

In recent years it is certainly a fabric that is purchased less, primarily due to the fact that it is very difficult to find on the market because it has a higher price than cotton or viscose. Now acrylic is much more widespread as a substitute which on the contrary has none of these properties, above all it is not biodegradable, but has a much lower cost, being a synthetic fibre. This means that over the years pure wool items have been lost in our wardrobe.

Sometimes you can find garments with small percentages of wool mixed with other synthetic fibres, but unfortunately the fact always remains that once the garment is thrown away, it creates pollution.

Wool is a fiber that I care a lot about, especially because my grandmother and my mother have always taught me the value of this fabric and the many qualities it possesses, so I have recently created some garments in 100% very fine wool, which are suitable for be worn almost all year round.