Wool Judging

What is a break in wool?

Wool that is abnormally weak in one spot in the staple length of the wool.

What are breech or britch fibers?

Coarse hair-like fibers on the lower hind legs and around the dock of some sheep.

What does character refer to in wool or mohair?

General appearance of the wool or mohair with special reference to the possession of crimp, color, and condition.

What is a clip in the sheep industry?

Wool or mohair produced by one flock of sheep or Angora goats.

What is clothing wool?

Wool that is not suited to combing and is used in the woolen system of manufacturing, usually of short fiber length.

What is the most desirable color of wool?

A bright white to cream color is the most desirable; other colors are referred to as 'off colors'.

What does condition refer to in wool?

The softness of the fleece due to fiber and grease content.

What is crimp in wool fibers?

Natural curl or waviness of the fiber.

What does defect mean in the context of wool?

Vegetable content of wool and mohair.

Define fleece in wool production.

Wool or mohair produced by one sheep or Angora goat at one shearing.

What is French combing?

Wool or medium fiber length suitable for combing on the French combs.

What is grading in wool production?

Separating entire fleeces into groups according to fineness and length.

What is a hank in the context of yarn?

A standard length of yarn, sometimes called a skein, with worsted yarn typically being 560 yards.

What is kemp in wool?

Opaque, hair-like fiber that is brittle and chalky white, considered a serious defect.

What is a lock in wool?

A group of fibers clinging together within a fleece.

What does luster refer to in wool fibers?

Shininess of the fiber or its ability to reflect light.

What are noils in the wool combing process?

The short fibers removed from the long ones during combing.

What does purity mean in relation to wool?

Freedom from off-type fibers, such as hair, kemp, and colored fibers.

What is meant by quality in the wool trade?

A term used to indicate fineness.

What is shrinkage in the wool context?

The weight raw wool loses when scoured, expressed as a percentage of the original weight.

What is sorting in wool production?

Breaking up individual fleeces into various grades determined by their fineness and length.

What is soundness in wool fibers?

Strength of the fiber or freedom from breaks and tenderness.

What does spinning count indicate?

The fineness of the yarn which can be spun from wool, derived from the number of hanks of 500 yards that weigh 1 pound.

What is staple wool?

Wool with suitable fiber length to permit combing on the Noble combs, with excellent length within a grade for fineness.

What are tags in wool?

Heavy, dung-covered locks of wool or mohair.

What does tender mean in terms of wool?

Wool that is abnormally weak throughout the entire length of the fiber.

What is top in the wool manufacturing process?

A continuous band of wool fibers made parallel, with short fibers removed, representing an intermediate stage in worsted yarn production.

What is yield in the context of wool?

Percentage of clean fiber left in a lot after scouring.

What is yolk in relation to wool?

Natural secretions of the skin that cling to the fiber, made up of natural oil and perspiration salts.