Glossary of Wool Terms

Fact Sheet No. 1.400 Livestock Series| Management

by S.B. LeValley*
Apparel wool: Wool suitable for Grading: The classification of fleeces Staple: Refers to the length of a lock of
manufacture into apparel fabrics. according to grade and length. shorn wool; in the wool trade “staple” refers
Bellies: Short and often times defective Grease wool: Wool as it is shorn from to the longer length wools within a grade.
wool on the belly of sheep. the sheep, before any processing. Tender: Wool that is weak throughout
Black wool: Fleeces from sheep Handle: A term referring to the actual the entire length of the fiber.
containing gray, brown or black wool. feel of wool. Top: A continuous strand of
Braid: Long, course, lustrous wool. Hank: A 560-yard (512 meter) unit of partially manufactured wool, which
Break length: Wool that is abnormally wool yarn would on a reel. has been scoured, carded and combed
weaker in one spot along the fiber Kemp: Brittle, chalky white, weak fiber an intermediate stage in the process of
Breech or Britch: Coarse hair fibers on found as an impurity in the fleece. worsted yarn.
lower hind leg. Lanolin: Wool grease; this substance, Vegetable matter: Any material of plant
Carbonizing: Removal of burs from sometimes called “yolk” is a secretion from origin found in the fleece, such as burrs,
wool by immersion in dilute sulfuric acid. the sebaceous glands of the sheep skin. stickers, chaff and seed heads.
Carpet: Wools too heavy and coarse to Lock: A small, approximately finger- Woolen: A system of processing that
be made into apparel; suitable for carpets sized bit of wool that tends to stay together utilizes the shorter length wools within
and rugs. when shorn from the sheep. a grade.
Clothing: The shorter length wools Noils: The short and sometimes Worsted: A system of processing that
within a grade. defective wool fibers removed in the utilizes the longer length wools within
Color: In wool trade, this refers to the combing process. a grade.
actual color of the wool; a bright white to a Pelt: The skin of the sheep with wool Yield : The amount of clean wool that
cream is most desirable. still attached to the skin. is derived from grease wool in the scouring
Core-testing: The coring of bales or Pulled wool: Wool removed from the process; yield is expressed as a percentage.
bags of wool for determination of grade, skins of slaughter sheep.
yield and clean content. Range wool: Wool grown on large
Crimp: The natural waviness of the ranches, distinct from wool grown on small Alpaca Fiber Terms
wool fiber; it varies with the diameter of the farms; usually termed territory wool. Annualized weight: The clean fiber
fiber. Raw wool: Grease wool in a natural weight from an alpaca adjusted to reflect
Crossbreed: A sheep or the wool from state before scouring. the length of time between shearings to a
a sheep resulting from the breeding of two Scouring: The actual separation of dirt, 12 month period.
difference breeds. grease and foreign matter from grease wool; Apron: Coarse fiber forming an
Felting: The matting together of this is usually done in a lukewarm, mildly overcoat around the chest of the alpaca.
wool fibers. alkaline solution followed by a rinse. Architecture: General structure and lay
Fleece: The wool from a single sheep in Second cuts: Short tufts of wool cut at of fibers within the locks, which go together
the shorn grease state. least twice by the shearing. to make up the fleece as a whole.
Fleece wool: Usually all fleeces grown Shearing: The removal of wool from Belly: Abdomen; contains the digestive
in the states east of the Mississippi and the animal by use of power clippers or tract; also, fiber from the abdomen of the
Missouri rivers. blade shears. alpaca (usually coarse).
French combing: Wool of medium staple Shrinkage: The weight raw wool loses
length, suitable for combing. when scoured, expressed as a percentage of
Grade: The classification system used to the original weight.
describe grease wools. The grades are; Fine Sorting: The separation of the whole
– 64s, 70s, 80s; half-blood – 60s, 62s; three- fleece into parts, as well as removing the ©Colorado State University
eights-blood – 56s, 58s; quarter-blood – off-sorts. Extension. 1/00. Revised 10/04.
50s, 54s; low-quarter-blood – 46s, 48s. Soundness: Freedom of the fiber from www.ext.colostate.edu
breaks and tenderness; relates to strength.
*
Colorado State University Extension sheep and wool
specialist, animal sciences. 10/2004
 Blanket: Back and side of a fleece from Sound fiber: Fiber able to resist Batt or Batting: Sheets or rolls of carded
the base of the neck to the base of the tail breaking either during processing or by wool or other fiber; or, mixtures thereof
and sides from backbone to belly including pulling with the hands (see “tensile which is used for woolen spinning or for
the haunches. strength”). stuffing, padding, quilting, and felting.
Break: A weakening of fibers in the Staple: Single lock of fiber. Belly fiber: Fiber harvested from the
staple, allowing them to break under strain. Staple length: The average length of belly, usually of a coarser quality.
Brightness: A term used to describe the fiber in a fleece measured from the skin to Blanket: The back and side of a fleece
property by which fiber reflects light. the tips of the individual fibers. from the base of the neck to the base of the
Character: Relates to definition and Style: Relates to the wave and/or twist tail and the sides from the back bone to the
evenness of crimp found in huacayas. The (architecture) found in suri fleece. This belly including the haunches.
crimp should be even and well defined wave or twist is an indication that the fleece Break: A weakening of fibers in the
from tip to butt. is not of a straight hair type. Wave and staple which will break under strain.
Coarse: Fiber of large diameter. twist help give some natural elasticity to Brightness: The property by which fiber
Cotted: Fleece which is matted together; the fleece. reflects light.
causes processing problems. Tender: Fiber which has a distinct Britch fiber: Fiber off the lower thigh of
Crinkle: Waviness/crimp in the weakness or break in it; usually the result of the rear leg of the llama.
individual fiber; usually the coarser the health or stress. Brittle fiber: Long tapering dry tips
fiber, the less crinkle. Tensile strength: Ability of fiber to resist usually caused by weathering.
Crimp: Pronounced corrugations in the breaking either during processing or by Burry fiber: Fiber contaminated with
entire fiber staple; occurs uniformly in the pulling with the hands. burrs (seeds, etc.).
fibers of the staple in the same plain. Top knot: The fiber on an alpaca’s head Carpet fiber: Coarse hairy fiber.
Felting: An irreversible tangling of between its ears; also called “wool cap” or Classing: Grouping of fleeces according
fibers together. sometimes bonnet. to type and quality.
Handle: Degree of softness of a fleece; Trueness to breed: Possessing the most Character: The characteristics of fiber
generally indicates fineness. desirable characteristics of the breed, i.e., lock or fleece determined by qualitative
Luster: The sheen, gloss or shine of the correct fiber type. A huacaya exhibiting evaluation of crimp, staple length and
fleece and fiber, due to the reflection of light little or no crimp (plain) and little density configuration, handle or softness,
off the smooth scales of each fiber. or a suri with straight plain fiber with and luster. It indicates good breeding
Medullated: True hair fibers which chalkiness and no luster would be said to be and growth.
contain a hollow core or medulla; often “not true to breed”. Consistency: Uniformity throughout a
called guard hair, but alpaca also contains Uniformity: The degree of consistency fleece of fineness, staple length, character
varying degrees of medullated or part- in a fleece from one area to another in (crimp, staple configuration, hand)
medullated fiber which is not undesirable. fineness, staple length, character, color and density.
Micron: A measure of fineness used and density. Coarse: Fiber of large diameter and
in the fiber production industries. One Wool blind: The fiber covering on the low count.
micron is one millionth of a meter; when face is so pronounced in the adult huacaya Cotted: Fiber naturally felted on
fiber is tested for fineness it is expressed in that the eye cannot be seen. the animal.
microns and usually is accompanied with Wool cap: The fiber on an alpaca’s head Count: Refers to Bradford Count, a
“Standard deviation and co-efficient of between its ears; also called “top knot” and method of indirectly assessing fiber
variation” of micron. sometimes “bonnet.” diameter.
Noils: Short fibers removed during the Yield: The amount of clean fiber Coverage: The distribution of
combing process. sheared from a particular alpaca; also a continuously growing fiber over the llama’s
Open fleece: A type of fleece which does processing term relating to the percentage body, neck, legs and head.
not hang together as a unit; usually a lighter of clean fiber after washing out the Crimp: The waviness found along the
weight fleece prone to debris. natural grease and dirt and removing length of the individual fibers throughout
Prickle: The quality in fleece that causes vegetable matter. the blanket. The waviness in crimp occurs
itchiness when pressed against human skin. uniformly in the fibers of the lock in the
Prime fiber: Best fiber the alpaca same plane.
produces; usually found in the blanket, but Llama Definitions Crutchings: Fiber from the britch and
can include neck and upper thigh. and Terms inner thighs.
Second cuts: Small pieces of short fleece Apron: Coarse fiber which forms an Curl: Waviness found along the length
remaining in the fiber, caused by shearing over coat around the chest of the llama. of individual fibers throughout the blanket
the same area twice. Architecture: Pertaining to the fleece; that lies randomly in different planes and
Skirting: The process of removing lower the general structure and lay of fibers gives the fleece a curled looking appearance.
grade fiber, debris, dung and vegetable within the locks which go together to make Dags: Lumps of dung.
matter from a fleece in preparation for up the fleece as a whole. Debris: Material that can be found
processing or showing. contaminating a fleece.
 Density: Number of fibers per square Seedy fiber: Fiber containing seeds.
unit measurement of the llama’s body. Skirting: Fiber of lower grade removed
Elasticity: The ability of a fiber to from fleece.
recover its original size and shape after Silkiness: Smoothness and slipperiness
extension. of fiber.
Felting: The irreversible tangling of Softness: The tactile quality of the
fibers together. fleece.
Fleece weight: The yield or weight of Sorting: Breaking of a fleece up into
the spinable fiber from shearing. To be qualities.
relevant, the age of the llama, the particular Sound: Fiber without breaks or
shearing (i.e., first or subsequent) should be tenderness.
identified and the length of time the fleece Staple: Single lock of fiber.
was on the animal. Staple length: The average length of
Fiber fineness: Refers to the fineness fiber within the fleece when measured from
of the individual fiber and is measured its point of origin at the animal’s skin to the
in microns. tips of the individual fiber.
General tenderness: Fibers break in Stress break: Occurs at one point across
random locations along the fibers. Indicates the fibers in the locks.
generally weakened fleece. Sun bleaching: The changing of color of
Guard hair: The somewhat thicker, the tips of locks when exposed excessively
straighter and longer fibers found in the to the sun. This can also be the cause of
fleece. damage by drying out the tips of locks and
Handle or hand: The tactile quality of causing tenderness at the tips.
the fleece to the hand. Tippy: A form of lock which indicates
Lock: A naturally occurring tuft of fiber the fibers within the lock are not all close
within the fleece. to the same length. The more “tippy” the
Luster: The sheen, gloss or shine of the lock the greater the disparity in the fiber
fleece and fiber. length. Since fiber growth rate in the
Matting: The inextricable meshing of blanket is roughly inversely proportional to
fibers in the fleece. the diameter of the fiber, a lock with a wide
Micron: A unit of measurement equal variety of fiber lengths will also have a wide
to one thousandth of a millimeter. variety of fiber diameters, that is to say, an
Mushy: Fiber lacking in character. inconsistent lock.
Reece wool with weathered and worm tips Tenderness fiber: Weakness in the
which cause irregularity of fiber length fiber. It may be general, which results in
in processing. breaks at random places in the fibers in
Noils: Tangles that occur as a result of the lock under tension, or it may be stress
short fiber contamination. tenderness, where all the fibers break in the
Open fleece: A type of fleece (as same place along their length, indicating
Shetland sheep or camelids) which does not something happened at one point in the
hang together as a unit and tends to have growth of the fleece to produce a break at
lower grease content, as opposed to a closed that point.
coat (for example, Merinos and most fine Uniformity: Refers to the degree of
wooled breeds of sheep) where the wool consistency from one area to another
surface does not open and is characterized within the fleece of fineness, staple length,
by high grease content. character (crimp, staple configuration,
Prime fiber: The best quality fiber that hand) and density.
a particular llama has to offer. This may Yield: The amount of clean fiber
include some neck fiber. obtained from a particular llama.
Second cuts: Short pieces caused by
poor shearings.

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