Features of virgin wool, description of cashmere fabric lana

Wool is the only type of material for which it has not yet been possible to recreate an artificial analogue. Items made from it are wear-resistant, warm, breathable and can retain their original appearance for a long time with proper care.

But when buying any wool product, you should still look at the type of wool. Many experts claim that the service life of the item will directly depend on its type. And often their choice falls on Virgin Wool, which has many advantages over similar materials.

What is Virgin Wool

Virgin Wool is a natural raw material obtained by combing or shearing young, under 1 year old, merino sheep. It is soft and very light due to the lack of pre-treatment, so products made from this yarn are quite warm.

The main characteristics of Virgin Wool are:

• the fineness of the pile, which does not exceed 20 microns, which is several times thinner than human hair;
• natural shine, preserved due to hand shearing of sheep and the absence of subsequent processing;
• the beauty of the material is due to the fact that the pile is sheared from the Merino breed of sheep, considered one of the most elite breeds;
• The corkscrew curl is the main characteristic of this wool, making it one of the best for making coat fabrics.

Wool processing

Virginia wool producers often label it as "New Wool", meaning that it is pure and absolutely "new" wool without any processing. The process of obtaining it consists of combing out grown lambs during the moulting period or manually shearing the fluffy pile from young animals without preliminary braiding.

The resulting pile is rarely dyed, so yarn made from it usually has a natural shade. The unique properties of virgin wool prove that it is an ideal raw material for obtaining material for coats.

The resulting thread from virgin wool is used as a base for the production of fabric and yarn. However, since products made from it are expensive, the addition of cotton, linen, silk and other natural threads allows the price of the material to be reduced.

Often you can see the designation "lana" on the label when purchasing wool yarn or items. It can be explained that this is lana wool by the fact that the raw materials used are new and absolutely pure, without the addition of any impurities. But this designation also indicates that the product will require special and more careful care.

Lan wool fabric is expensive, and therefore it is very difficult to find products made from it on sale. Today, there are a small number of companies that provide consumers with clothing made from New Wool, including the famous British brand Harris Tweed, as well as Holland&Sherry, Loro Piana, Lanificio Drago.

Fabric made of virgin wool is somewhat similar to cashmere, but it is more delicate and soft. However, wool and cashmere are often combined to obtain a higher quality fabric. For example, so-called virgin cashmere is often used for sewing coats. This is a material made mostly of virgin wool with the addition of cashmere, which improves the quality and appearance of the material several times.

In addition, fabric obtained by combining wool and cashmere fibers is also less expensive than material made without additives.

Properties of Virgin Wool

It is not for nothing that Virgin Wool is called elite, because it has special properties:

• retains heat well (manufacturers claim that their woolen items are great for everyday wear and retain heat even in severe frosts);
• elasticity and flexibility, which makes products made from this material more wear-resistant, does not roll down and does not cause discomfort when worn;
• resistance to dirt, which makes the product less labor-intensive to care for and also prevents damage during frequent washing;
• fabric made from this material practically does not wrinkle, which also simplifies the care of the product.

Difference between Virgin Wool and Wool

If we look into the origin of Virgin Wool in more detail, there are several explanations of what it is - virgin wool. In some sources, it is described as the fiber of a 4-6 month old merino lamb, collected by hand. In others, the description is slightly contradictory, since they indicate that the raw material can be from an older sheep, but the wool must be clean and absolutely new, previously unused.

But even despite this, Virgin Wool has its differences from regular Wool. Firstly, Virgin Wool is considered a fiber of the first shearing, and simply Wool is the raw material of subsequent shearings. Secondly, there are also differences in sensations, since virgin wool does not prickle at all and is less dense.

Reviews

Galina, 28 years old

"I learned about Virgin Wool products from a colleague at work. It was getting cold outside and I needed to wrap up warm. Without thinking twice, I decided to buy myself a wool sweater. I would like to note that I liked the quality right away. The sweater is nice looking, natural in color and quite soft, not prickly to the touch, which was what pleased me most. Naturally, there were some downsides, the item had a specific sheep smell, which eventually went away. But, overall, I am completely satisfied with the purchase."

Tatyana, 31 years old

"I recently bought a coat made of Virgin New Wool, and I am very happy with the purchase. The wool coat is very beautiful and stylish, and is suitable for spring and autumn wear. The material itself is soft, pleasant to the touch, with a natural beige shade. Of course, I am a little afraid of the color, since the coat is quite easily soiled. But I heard that virgin wool is easy to care for, so I think there should be no problems with cleaning."

The designation Virgin Wool, literally meaning "virgin wool", can be found quite rarely on the label of a wool product. And all because many manufacturers simply replace it with a more pragmatic name "New Wool", which in meaning means almost the same thing. And, having seen one of these phrases on the label of the purchased item, you can be completely confident in its quality and durability.