Virign wool for a kilt???

[Pleater]

i understood that 100% virgin wool fabric was the first cut off of the criter.

That is 'lambswool'. It is softer because it is 'baby' wool and it feels smoother because every fibre has only has one cut end, the other is rounded.

Just because some wool isn't labled 'virgin' won't mean it has already been used for something else, not every spinner or weaver bothers with the terminology and hype.

[Riverkilt]

My old college textiles textbook says that over here in the Colonies the govt passed a law back in 1939, the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act, which specifies that "Wool, new wool, or virgin wool is wool fiber that has been through manufacturing processes only once."

The other terms are "Reprocessed Wool", which is wool reclaimed from scraps and processed again, but never used by a consumer, and "Reused Wool" which is wool salvaged from goods that consumers have already worn.

There are lots of other terms for other wool stuff...like wool sheared from living sheep is called shorn or fleece wool. Wool from slaughtered animals is called pulled wool.

Ron

[Brasilikilt]

Thanks for the clarification :-)

When I bought my fabric the other day I made sure to ask the folks there at the Pendleton wool mill store, and they pretty much echoed what all of you are telling me now.

Now I need to find out what "worsted" is, as I'm not sure if the fabric I have is worsted or not. I think it's the same kind of fabric they would use for making shirts, which feels pretty much the same thickness as that of my USA medium weight kilt.

Thanks again

Iain

[O'Neille]

Thanks for the clarification :-)

Now I need to find out what "worsted" is, as I'm not sure if the fabric I have is worsted or not. I think it's the same kind of fabric they would use for making shirts, which feels pretty much the same thickness as that of my USA medium weight kilt.

Thanks again

Iain

Worsted (Worstead England) is the process of carding the fibers to get the long ones to line up and the short ones out. This is twisted into the small yarns that are woven into the fabric. The twill type of fabrics we are concerned with have the distinctive stairstep pattern to them. Other weaves can be made from worsted wool also but are not necessarily twill fabrics. The main advantage of worsted wool is it's resistance to wrinkling. O'Neille

[bubba]

The main advantage of worsted wool is it's resistance to wrinkling. O'Neille

To me the main advantage is worsted is twisted tightly enough the fiber ends don't poke you thereby not causing the itch common with cheap wool.

[Riverkilt]

And, from the olde college textbook: "The two fabric classes based on processing...are woolens and worsteds.

The worsted division uses a larger proportion of virgin wool than the woolen branch. Wools used in worsted are long fibers combed from virgin wool. In the combing process, in which the short fibers, or noils, are eliminated, the long fibers are made to be parallel to each other so that they may be tightly spun. The fabrics, as a result, aer closely woven and have a smooth appearance, and the pattern of the weave is easily discernible.

Woolens, on the other hand, are made from short-fiber wools, or from noils and also from reworked wools, such as chips and rags. Unlike the straightened fibers used in worsted, the woolen fibers are more or less crossed and intermixed and are less tightly spun, and the fabrics for the most part are loosely woven and rather rough surfaced.

Because of the differences in fiber length, often of quality, and of processing, worsteds are more expensive. They are highly desireable for so-called man-tailored suits and other garments. They tend to become more shiny with wear than do the duller surfaced, rougher textured, or napped woolens."

Ron

[Brasilikilt]

Wow! When ya don't know, ask a textile expert :-)

After carefully reading your explanation, it's clear to me that while my cloth seems to be a reasonably tight weave, it is a little scratchy....so it's probably not worsted.
It's all fine and dandy to me because it is still wool, and a "tartan" pattern which I find to be very attractive and "old timey" looking.
Let the truth be known that if I had found a cotton flannel bedsheet with the right length, colors and tartan pattern...I would have worn that as a great kilt until I found something better.

Thanks for your very knowledgeable explanation Riverkilt!