explain the process of wool production how is it done during production of wool
Answers
Wool is a natural fibre which is used in textile industries for production of various clothing materials. It is obtained from several breeds of sheep, like angora goat, yak, kashmiri goat, camelids like Llama and Alpaca, although the most common source of wool is the sheep. Wool is made of Keratin which is a kind of protein.
The hair of sheep is termed as fleece. It has the capacity to trap air and hence keep the animals warm. Hair of sheep is divided into two types namely coarse beard hair and fine soft under-hair close to the skin. Usually the fine under hair is used for making wool. Selective breeding is done to obtain the best quality fibres for the production of wool. The fleece is processed to obtain wool. The various stages in processing of wool are as follows-
SHEARING- It is the process of removal of sheep hair along with a thin layer of skin. The fleece obtained after shearing is known as 'grease wool' as it contains oil and lanolin. It also consists of vegetable matter, pesticides, manure and natural oil. Shearing is done once in a year, usually in the early spring.
SKIRTING- The process of removing the fleece which has too much manure and unable to use is known as skirting. Such kind of fleece is found mostly near the belly region and the leg region.
SCOURING- The process of washing the grease wool to remove the grease, dirt and dust and to obtain clean fleece is known as scouring. The fleece obtained after skirting is washed in tanks using soap or detergent or with the use of machines and hence clean fleece is obtained. The washed wool is then dried using dryers.
SORTING- Sorting is the process of separation of hairs of different textures. The one suitable for making wool is separated from others. The remaining fleece is used for making some other daily use textile materials.
REMOVAL OF BURRS- Small fluffy fibres called burrs will be present in the fleece. They are removed from the fleece and again the fleece is scoured and dried.
DYING- The fleece now obtained is dyed in various colors according to need. The colour of fleece will be naturally white, brown or black. Hence other colours are used for dying.
FIBRE TO YARN- The fibre now obtained is straightened and combed using machines and then rolled into yarn. Hence finally woolen yarn is obtained. Two types of fibres are obtained here- long fibres and short fibres. The longer fibres are used as wool for sweaters and the shorter ones are used for other materials.
Answer:
The different processes involved in wool production are shearing, scouring, grading, dyeing, and drying. The process of removal of the fleece from an animal is called shearing. Sheep are usually shorn annually in the spring/summer months. Shearing is done with a manual razor and blade, or with special clippers.
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