One of the best materials is sheep wool. It was available to our distant ancestors. Wool has special qualities; it has not been possible to recreate its artificial analogue until now. Woolen things are wear-resistant and very warm, they retain an attractive appearance for a long time, breathe. It is suggested that they are even able to deal with high blood pressure, insomnia and disorders of the nervous system.
In anticipation of the cold weather, it will not be amiss to recall woolen things and replenish your wardrobe with them. But for a dress, coat or skirt to serve you for a long time, you should pay attention to what kind of wool they are made of. Look for virginwool (virgin wool) on the product label. Someone calls this material the hair of a virgin lamb, and someone calls it the wool of a lamb. Let’s figure out what it actually is, what properties it has. Along the way, we learn consumer reviews and what is the price of products from Virginia wool.
Sheep Wool
Any wool is a natural fiber. A man began to shear it from sheep over five thousand years ago. Sheep wool is the most common, less often you can find on sale products from camel wool, angora, alpaca. It is quite durable, hygroscopic. There are several types of sheep wool:
- Lambswool - wool obtained from lambs 7-8 months old. It is characterized by softness, elasticity, firmness and flexibility.
- Merino wool. She is sheared from merino sheep, soft and light.
- Shetland is a coarser coat with high wear resistance, sheared from sheep raised in the Shetland Islands (Scotland).
- Cheviot is the wool of another Scottish breed of sheep. Expensive material, characterized by strength and high thermal insulation properties.
Wool processing
The idea of ​​industrial processing of wool is now alien to society. Having visited any department store and looked at whole bales of sweaters and dresses in rainbow colors, you are unlikely to find products from Virginia wool, the properties of which are praised by manufacturers, but at the same time there will not be a single recycled fiber in them. However, this was not always the case.
The idea of ​​processing wool arose during the Second World War. The war years influenced fashion. The government of many countries limited the amount of fabric that could be used to make new clothes. Wool was needed for uniforms. Instead of buying new clothes, people were forced to recycle clothes as needed. The sweater of an adult man was opened and turned into children's sweaters, gloves, socks, etc. And there was nothing to be ashamed of.
Today, the production of wool is debugged, but some people continue to process old products. High quality yarn tends to be expensive.
The difference between Virgin Wool and Wool
Often you can find two definitions of Virginia wool. Some sources say that it is wool trimmed from a lamb, 4-6 month old merino. Its fibers are very thin (20 microns). Wool is hand-picked, about 140 g are collected from each animal. Other sources say that when you buy a coat of Virginia wool, you get a product from a completely new material that has not been previously used. However, it is not necessary that the wool is collected from lambs; it can also be sheared from adult sheep. The second interpretation is considered the most correct.
Virgin Wool is wool that has not previously been processed or woven. This material is often used for processing. It is not surprising, because there is a limited global supply of completely new wool. Products from it are more expensive in comparison with products from ordinary wool.
The Virgin Wool designation can only be awarded to wool that is sheared from live, healthy sheep.
Virgin Wool Properties
Quite often, one may come across the question of buyers about whether or not Virginia wool is warm. Manufacturers claim that its products are ideal for daily wear. They do not roll, sit on the figure, practically do not wrinkle, retain heat well, and at the same time they are resistant to pollution. Such clothes are universal, depending on the thickness of the knit, you can choose a very warm sweater or coat for the cold season, or a thin jumper for the off-season.
In addition, the products practically do not absorb moisture, but they absorb water vapor well. In order to smooth out such a skirt or sweater, just hang them in a room with high humidity. The folds will disappear.
Prices for clothes from Virgin Wool
The cost of a new wool product depends on two factors: brand and look. Note that very often natural fiber is supplemented with acrylic, mohair, cashmere. This affects the cost. So the brand “Snow Queen”, widely known in the Russian Federation, offers a coat of Virginia wool with the addition of 20% acrylic and 10% cashmere at a price of about 10-15 thousand rubles. It is designed for spring and autumn. At the same time, the luxury company MELDES sells a coat of 100% young and new wool at a price of 25 thousand rubles.
Prices for sweaters and skirts range from 5000-10000 rubles. Again, much depends on the manufacturer. So, the English brand Strenesse sells a regular sweater made of new wool at a price of about 300 euros.
Woolen blankets
What could be better than a soft and warm wool blanket in cold autumn and frosty winter? Wrapped in it, you can escape even the most severe colds. Do not argue, a Virgin Wool blanket is not a cheap pleasure. However, it is so soft and delicate that it is difficult to resist buying.
For plaids, as well as for clothes, mixed materials are often used, adding cashmere or acrylic to the new wool. One of the best Italian brands is Giudecca. Giudecca blankets are made from the wool of lambs and cashmere in equal proportions. They are very soft, warm and light. The cost of a product measuring 130x180 cm is about 20-25 thousand rubles.
Thin blankets made of new lambswool from the Irish company AVOCA will cost a little cheaper. A product measuring 142x183 cm costs 7-8 thousand rubles.
Virgin Wool Products: Customer Reviews
Products created from new wool certainly have advantages over those that are sewn from recycled materials or synthetic fibers. In the reviews, buyers note five main qualities of things from Virginia wool:
- Durability. A coat or sweater will last you more than one year, and at the same time they will look like new.
- Quality. Virgin Wool is not cheap, so careless manufacturers simply do not make sense to "contact" with it. A thing created underground by non-professionals, even from good material, is unlikely to attract many buyers. Consumers in their reviews emphasize the high quality of the products as a whole, from the right cut, the right dimensional grid, and ending with the selection of threads and accessories.
- Comfort. The coat is very soft and pleasant to the body. Even the most sensitive people and children do not complain that the sweater or dress is pricked, or electrified. She practically does not crease.
- Easy to clean. Buyers in Virginia coat reviews say it’s easy to clean. In addition, due to the fact that the fibers are practically not electrified, dirt does not stick to things.
- Heat. Coats, sweaters, pants, gloves, hats, etc. - All these things from the new wool of young sheep perfectly retain heat. They allow the body to breathe.
Many people say that a thing from Virgin Wool cannot be cheap by definition. However, they consider such an investment profitable, because the product will last for more than one year.
Opposite opinion
Nowadays, Virginia wool has become a sign of luxury and high cost. However, there is an opinion that this is another attempt to impose certain stereotypes about well-being and fashion on people. It may sound exaggerated, but if you are in a sweater or a luxurious suit made of wool of young lambs, then you are successful and beautiful.
Meanwhile, according to some people, a new wool product may not be anything compared to a thing knitted from a $ 300 sweater that was worn once before being sent for recycling. In their opinion, each buyer decides for himself what “new” means for him.