Wool Upholstery
Since ancient times, people have been using wool for many different reasons. This soft, warm, and versatile natural fabric is extremely good for a number of different reasons. From clothes to blankets, car seat covers, and more, wool is a fantastic fabric. Even when it comes to upholstery work, wool is a perfect choice. Upholsterers love using this fabric for its ease to use and its commendable durability.
The emergence of using wool as we know it coincided with the domestication of animals, especially sheep and goats, some nine thousand to eleven thousand years ago.
Sheep were the most common source of wool, and once man learned to spin and weave, the raw hair turned into the cozy and comfortable woolen fabric we know of today. People used wool to make warm clothes, beddings, and covers for a variety of different purposes.
Wool's benefits and uses go far beyond just fashion. It is a great fabric for upholstery. The wild sheep had more hair on them than wool. It was only when the wooly sheep came to be introduced, domesticated, and distributed over Europe that woolen garments and fabric became popular and soon spread over the globe.
Before other synthetic fabrics came into the picture, wool dominated the textile world. Nowadays, there are different types of wool for multiple purposes.
How is Wool Upholstery Made?
Wool is one of the many fabrics that get used in upholstery. It is an animal fiber rather than a plant fiber. Being versatile, durable, and comfortable, it is a great material to work with. The process of obtaining wool is not difficult to understand. They come mostly from wooly sheep, but other animals like goats, alpaca, and even yak also produce wool. Several steps and processes are necessary to turn the raw wool into the fabric we know and love.
The first step is definitely to rear sheep. Keeping them properly fed and groomed is optimal as well because it can affect the quality of the wool. When the sheep is ready, the shearing process starts. This means that the wool, along with a layer of skin that is very thin, is removed through a cutting process known as shearing. The wool and skin that get cut have dirt and dust. To remove these, the cut wool is washed in soap water in a process called scouring.
Sorting is the next stage where the wool gets sorted on the basis of quality. This is usually done in a factory. The cut wool or fleece is not uniform. Some are short, and some are long, while others may be coarse or even fine. To separate them, sorting becomes necessary. Dyeing is the next stage. The fleece is generally white, black, or even brown. So, you can choose to dye it with any colour.
Combing is an important step as this stage prepares the woolen fibers for the spinning process. A metal comb is the ideal comb to run through the fibers to untangle or remove other small fibers. Now the wool is ready for spinning and gets turned into yarns or the woolen fabric we are familiar with. This can then be manufactured in a variety of ways to produce the desired outcome.
Characteristics
Are you thinking about getting new furniture? Maybe a sofa or a dining chair? If so, do not leave out wool as an option. Choosing woolen upholstery will definitely be a great idea. This versatile, comfortable, cozy, warm, and durable fabric makes some of the best upholstery works. The benefits that come from using wool in upholstery are something that will surely persuade you to consider using wool.
The first benefit of using wool is the options and choices you get. You can pick from several different textures, patterns, and designs. Wool is of several types and qualities. So, you can easily choose which one you like the best. Since wool comes from different animals and breeds, the quality differs.
Moreover, with technological innovations, you can get wool in a multitude of colours, patterns, textures, and weaves. These can look great on lounges and couches, even though it's fairly uncommon because of all the synthetic upholstery in use.
If you are not already aware, wool is incredibly resilient. This means that your woolen upholstery will last you and endure for many years to come. Even with continuous use, it can still retain its charm and condition, so long as it's properly cared for.
Wool is also very soft and cozy to touch. It provides and adds an air of sophistication. Wool upholstery also tends to look surprisingly modern and lavish. Moreover, most wool these days are properly treated, and as a result, it is really easy to maintain.
Wool just have a propensity to show dirt and grime, so proper care and cleaning is essential. It's also highly absorbent, which means that stains and marks are more likely to show and stick. Essentially, the chances of stains and marks becoming permanent are a lot higher when your fabric upholstery is wool.
Popular Uses
Wool upholstery finds uses in a number of different areas. But, by far, the best use of wool upholstery is at home. If you’re looking to design your home and make it look more polished, modern, and neat, consider using woolen upholstery.
The choices are plenty. They make nice covers for sofas and chairs. Moreover, woolen carpets are still extremely popular, although they are amongst the worst in terms of stain resistance and showing dirt and grime.
If you’re living in cold weather conditions and you want a cozy home, wool upholstery is the way to go. Having wool upholstery in your family sofa, living area, or bedroom can definitely make your home warm and comfortable, in addition to looking great.
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