How-To Care For: Wool

The season of warm and soft clothes is officially here! Finally I can comfy in my favorite cashmere scarfs, while I am outside and the cold wind whooshеs around; or lie down with a nice book in my Merino tracksuit. I can give you more and more reasons to love winter clothes (and not only them), that is why I start series posts with useful tips how to care for your clothes. Because each garment and fabric have their own charm and deserve their special attention and care.

And now - Her Majesty the wool! An elastic fiber derived from the sheep, goat, camel, alpaca, llama, rabbit, keeshond or vicuña. Wool is fire retardant and resistant to water, odor, and stains. The crimp retains heat and repels cold.

It might be the fact I was born in a snowy winter day, but I really love all the variety and comfy of the woolen clothes. Yes, there are so many kinds, so let me present you all the different woolen fabrics.  

*CASHMERE - An extremely soft, luxurious fabric made from the undercoat of the cashmere goat, native to Kashmir. Cashmere is insulating, used in sweaters, suits, and overcoats.

*ALPACA - Yarn spun from the alpaca, a member of the camel family native to the Andes in South America. The yarn is soft, lustrous, and highly insulating. Unlike sheep’s wool it’s lanolin-free, making it hypoallergenic.

*ANGORA - Soft yarn made from the under-hair of the Angora rabbit, often blended with wool. Angora is very insulating, resistant to pilling, and known for its fluffiness. Often used for sweaters and suiting.

*CAMEL HAIR - Fibers from the Bactrian camel of Asia, which produce a soft luxurious yarn that is resistant to heat and cold. Often used for sweaters, suits, and outerwear.

*MERINO WOOL - Wool of the Merino sheep, prized for its extremely soft, insulating, and moisture-wicking qualities. It’s also temperature regulating, odor resistant, moth-proof, and flame retardant.

*MOHAIR - Coarse, wiry yarn made of Angora goat hair (not to be confused with the Angora rabbit). Mohair has higher luster, abrasion resistance, and resilience than sheep’s wool. Used for winter apparel and home furnishings.

*PASHMINA - Meaning “soft gold” in Kashmiri, this fine wool comes from four distinct breeds of Cashmere goat. It is naturally shed and is entirely hand-processed, from combing to weaving into shawls, scarves, and throws.

to be continued