Boiled wool: material description, properties, care tips

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

There are quite a lot of materials for making outerwear today, but each of them has its own characteristics. Today we will talk about boiled wool. The name is confusing, but most of you have probably seen products made from such material. It is softer than felt and denser than drape and has interesting characteristics. This material is both similar to all woolen fabrics and unlike any of them.

Origin

Of course, the properties of wool have been known to mankind for a long time. Therefore, it was not difficult for manufacturers to assume that under the influence of high temperature the material would become dense, windproof and water-repellent. It is thanks to them that boiled wool has become widely used.

But there is also a legend that interprets the origin in a slightly different way. According to her, the peasants in Tyrol were forbidden to wear expensive cloth. Their clothing was a rough, woolen cloth. One daya farmer mistakenly washed his clothes in too hot water. As a result, the fabric fell off, became dense, acquired qualities indispensable for the peasant. They began to call it that, boiled wool or loden.

Production

Today there are entire workshops in which mass production of this material has been established. The need for it does not decrease, but rather the opposite. Only natural material is used as a raw material for the production of boiled wool. That is sheep's wool. To make the fabric softer, mohair is sometimes added to it. But the very principle of production has remained the same as it was in ancient times.

Wool must first be cut, then washed and spun. Now the most important thing. The semi-finished product is dumped and boiled in hot water. Special tools are used to fix properties. This is a rather lengthy process, it ends when the canvas becomes dense, smooth and very durable. Only now it is dyed, dried and combed out.

Key Features

This fabric is unique in its properties. Boiled wool combines the consumer properties of many similar materials. It can be compared:

• With felt. Loden is no less dense and also perfectly repels water, but at the same time it is much thinner than felt.
• With felt. They are somewhat similar, but boiled wool comes out much more tender.
• Drap. Only in appearance. In fact, the drape is easily blown by the wind, and loden products perfectly protect against it.
• With fleece. Andthere is a lot of similarity here. Both materials are gentle and soft, but the loden is made of natural wool, and therefore it is much warmer.

In general, things of boiled wool are significantly different from all the others. They are very soft and gentle, pleasant to the touch. Loden drapes wonderfully. Plastic and docile material, it will not get wet in the rain and will keep you warm.

Material properties

Before choosing a boiled wool coat, you should definitely study them. This will allow you to understand what the purchased item will be like. In fact, the material has a lot of advantages.

• Sustainability. No toxic components are used in the production.
• Excellent thermal insulation properties. Wool is remarkably warm and retains heat. Dense texture and wind resistance allows you to wear things in cold and windy weather.
• Plasticity and ease in tailoring. Here and at all the fabric has no equal. Working with her is a pleasure. The canvas easily takes the desired shape. The edges do not fray and do not require additional processing.
• Resistant to dirt. The material repels dirt, it does not penetrate into the structure of the fibers, so it is enough to clean it with a regular brush.
• Breathable. Although you will be well protected from the wind, the material allows the skin to breathe.

Flaws

Of course, everything has two sides. Wool itself is an allergen, due to the content of animal fat in it. In addition, with funds thatused in dry cleaning, an allergic reaction may also occur. Therefore, if you have such a tendency, it is better to choose synthetic materials.

It is impossible not to note the susceptibility to deformation. The canvas is quite plastic, but during operation the product will stretch. And under the influence of moisture and high temperature, shrinkage is possible. In addition, in the care of the coat will be quite capricious. It cannot be washed, only specialized cleaning is possible.

Sewing tips

Experienced craftsmen say that working with this fabric is a pleasure. Despite this, beginners often make mistakes. First of all, it is recommended to soak the fabric in warm water, then dry it and iron it with a hot iron. After that, the fabric will shrink, from which it will be possible to protect the finished product.

• The density of the loden is such that, in fact, it does not require a lining, as it is windproof. But if the pile is rough and heterogeneous, then the lining is desirable. Otherwise, the product will cling to clothes and it will be uncomfortable to wear.
• The seams are best glued with non-woven tape.

Of course, these recommendations are important for those who have some experience in tailoring outerwear. For beginners, it is better to start with the simplest products.

Scope of application

The most commonly used material for sewing coats. Reviews of boiled wool allow us to say that this is one of the best options. The fabric is light, dense, soft, has excellent thermal protection properties. Thanks to this, it is used for the production of:

• Outerwear.
• Headwear.
• Designer shoes.
• Bags and accessories.

Care instructions

First of all, you need to remember how to wash boiled wool. Despite the heat treatment, it is not recommended to wash the products yourself. And both in a bowl and in a typewriter. If dirt appears, you can try to clean the product with a dry brush. In this case, you need to move in the direction of the pile. It is allowed to iron any product made of this material only from the wrong side, on the “wool” mode.

Store the product folded, not on a coat hanger. Must be in well ventilated areas. And of course, protect them from moths. To do this, today there is a huge selection of products that can be sprayed in the closet. It will not be superfluous to recall folk ways to deal with moths. For this, orange and pomegranate peels, mint and wormwood are used.

Instead of a conclusion

So, things made of boiled wool are quite capricious and demanding to care for. But at the same time, the owners of such things are very pleased with their purchase. It is a natural material with unique characteristics that provide a high level of comfort. Of course, it is better not to buy a boiled wool coat for a child, because he does not know how to wear things with due care. But to please yourself with a quality product with excellent characteristics is a great idea.