Wool garments are a great investment because they can outlast any other synthetic outfits. Since wool fibers are naturally elastic, wool clothing doesn’t wrinkle, sag, pile, or break like other fabrics. Despite all these positive sides, many people avoid wool saying wool is uncomfortable, scratchy and some are allergic to it.
So why is wool itchy? Wool can itch for different reasons, maybe your wool was collected from a poor sheep’s bread, or the cleaning process was harsh or perhaps you really are allergic to lanolin. Let’s dive into this article to know more about wool itchiness and how you can avoid this problem.
Why Is Wool Itchy? – How Is It?
The itchiness of wool can be caused by several issues, such as the breed of the sheep and the environment they live in, the diameter of wool fiber, processing of wool, or wool allergy. From this section, you will get to know about all of those criteria that make your wool sweater scratchy and irritating.
Breed of Sheep
Wool from different breeds can have different consistencies, textures, and diameters, just like human hair. Some human hair feels soft and smooth, while others can be coarse and unattractive. This is also true for sheep’s wool.
In the US, there are dozens of wool breeds. Among them, the Delaine Merino and Debouillet breed sheep offer the softest wool. On the other hand, Lincoln and Border Leicester produce the roughest wool, so, garments made from these breeds will definitely feel scratchy, that’s why they are usually used in making carpets.
Environment
Any wool’s quality can also be affected by the environment that sheep go through. Usually, in the wool industry, sheep suffer terribly and grow up in a small environment. This is why industry-produced wools are usually coarser compared to the wool taken from the sheep grown on a healthy farm.
Wool Thickness
The itchiness of any wool product also depends on the thickness of that wool fibers. Usually, the larger the diameter (measured in microns) of the strand of wool utilized, the itchier it will feel. Similarly, the lower the micron, the softer the wool. Also, the higher the micron, the lower the grade of that wool product.
It happens because in a higher micron wool fiber, the length of a cluster or lock of wool fibers, also known as a staple, is shorter. And in shorter staples, a cluster contains smaller bits and pieces of wool. When woven with this short stapled fiber, there will be more prickles that make you feel scratchy.
For comfortable clothing, try to use wool with a diameter around 19mm to 32mm. Don’t forget, the higher diameter of wool fiber you use, the itchier it will get.
Wool Processing
Before assembling wool to make it ready for spinning and fabric making, it has to go through a cleaning process. In this process, the majority of the debris such as hay, dirt, leaves, etc. are taken out while dry. After that, wool has to go through a scouring process where wool is soaked in soapy warm or cold water.
Usually, it is soaked in cold water first if the wool is covered in any material that can stain it. After that, the warm water procedure begins that removes impurities from wool and washes away most of the lanolin which is naturally present in the wool. Lanolin can be retrieved in this process and used in the cosmetics industry.
In the commercial production of wool, harsh chemicals and bleaching agents are frequently utilized to sweep away the debris from the raw wool. These chemicals leave a residue on the finished wool product. For this reason, some people may experience an adverse reaction to those chemicals and feel itchy on their skin.
When preparing wool, if enough time is not taken to remove all or most of the debris, the quality of the wool decreases. This failure of removing most of the particles can be spun in the strands, making your skin feel prickly or irritated.
Wool Allergy
A real wool allergy is quite uncommon. Most of the time when people say they are allergic to wool, they usually imply that the wool fiber irritates and itch their skin, which is not the same as a wool allergy.
A naturally-occurring waxy coating on the wool fiber named lanolin makes wool water and flame resistant. Researchers believe that this lanolin is the culprit that causes wool allergy to some people, feeling itchy when wearing a wool garment.
How to Soften Itchy Wool
You can soften itchy wool in two different ways. The first one is by using a fabric softener. Just feel a bowl with a cup or two full of the softener and water and then leave the garment to soak. It will make that attire feel less scratchy.
Another method is using vinegar to soften wool. Fill a bowl with water and about a half cup of vinegar. Then place the wool fabric turned inside out and let it soak for about 20-30 minutes. After that, squeeze that garment into a ball and lay it flat to dry naturally. Once dried, you will feel the difference of softness unlike before.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What fabrics do not itch?
Skin-friendly fabrics, such as organic cotton, merino wool, silk, hemp, linen, alpaca, and cashmere do not itch on the skin.
- Is wool cheap or expensive?
Wool can be both cheap and expensive. If the processing of the wool is done irregularly and haphazardly or uses chemicals, the wool turns out to be of low quality. This type of wool product is cheap and higher grade wool that requires labor-intensive processing costs a lot.
- Can wool keep me cool in summer?
Yes! Just like wool keeps you warm in winter, wool can also keep you cool in summer. The microscopic structure of the wool fiber wicks moisture away from your skin to keep you cool. If you use wool bedding, it can come in handy regardless of any weather.
Final Verdict
Now you know why is wool itchy, the next step is to follow the tricks to avoid this scratchiness. Whenever you are buying wool yarn or fabric, choose a reputed organic sheep farmer. Try to get wool that is cleaned with hot water and the strands are loose. For garments, wear a comfy undershirt if nothing else you can do.
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