An exert from Real Men, Real Style….
In general menswear is made from one of three fiber types: wool, cotton, or a synthetic.
Many men know how to care for their cotton and synthetic clothing; those that don’t are fortunate that garments made from these fabrics are often inexpensive and darn near indestructible.
Wool is different.
Wool can be easily damaged by heat and chemicals – even over exposure to cool water can weaken the fibers and ruin the garment!
In this article we give you all the basic facts you need to stay up on your wool clothing’s uses and care.
Raw wool: the source of menswear’s finest fabric.
1. Why Wool?
Wool is extremely versatile and is possibly worn on more parts of your body than any other material. Wool, in different weaves and cloths, crops up in menswear from head to toe:
- Stocking caps & other hats
- Neckties
- Suits & jackets
- Sweaters
- Coats & other outerwear
- Gloves
- Long underwear
- Trousers
- Socks
Why all the wool clothes? It’s a little more temperamental than cotton or synthetic fibers, so some men may be tempted to look for cotton alternatives in all these clothes. And you can usually find them — but it’s not always the right choice. Wool makes use of a few basic properties that cotton lacks:
- Appearance. Wool can be woven into thick fabrics with a deep, rich texture. It can make anything from very fine and silky threads to thick, coarse yarns. The resulting fabrics can range from thick, hairy, and coarse to extremely lightweight and smooth to the touch. In any form wool has a richness and body to it that even the finest cotton products can’t really match.
