Super fine wool has an average diameter of 16.5-19.5 μ Homogeneous wool of m and below. The wool is fine, soft, densely curled, and has a length of 65~95mm. It is suitable for worsted high-end fabrics.
In the 1980s and 1990s, researchers found that the protruding threads on the surface of wool fabrics were thick and hard, stimulating pain receptors on the skin.
These coarse fibers do not have much elasticity, exacerbating the itchy sensation. The cheaper the fabric, the rougher the silk thread, so mass market products such as school uniforms suffer.
The wool industry has begun to take action, with Australia, the world's largest wool producer, taking the lead. Machines such as laser scanners were introduced in the early 1990s, capable of accurately measuring the diameter of fibers with unprecedented accuracy.
It has been found that fibers with a diameter of 30 microns or more are the most itchy, so fine wool and ultra-fine wool (18.5 microns or finer) are becoming increasingly popular (and, of course, much more expensive).
As people's demand for rough wool plummeted, shepherds began to shift their flocks to naturally finer wool breeds, such as Merino sheep (the person who first bred Merino sheep also traded on Australia's two Australian dollar notes until coins replaced them with coins).
Merino sheep are very small in size and are not worth much as meat sheep, but the changing needs have given this breed new uses. In the past 20 years, the price of ultra-fine wool produced by Merino sheep has increased by at least 30%, while the price of coarse wool has been declining.
Natural conditions also play a role. Climate change over the past 30 years has led to a significant decrease in annual rainfall in Australia, and wool can become finer without intervention under dry conditions.
The production of ultra-fine wool has tripled since 1991 and now accounts for nearly one-third of Australia's total annual wool production. About 90% of the world's fine silk thread comes from Australia, and clothing that can only be worn close to the body, from wedding dresses to bras, mostly uses this material.
Extended Data
In Australia, fine wool refers to Merino wool with a fiber diameter of 19.6 to 20.5 microns, while ultra-fine wool is below 19.5 microns. In China, the definition of fine wool is below 25 microns. Fine wool is mainly used for clothing, while coarse wool is used for furniture and carpets.
China is the world's largest sheep producer, with a total of 150 million sheep. China is the third largest wool producer in the world. Wool produced in China is characterized by being relatively thick and short. China produces 160000 tons of wool annually, of which 120000 tons are fine wool according to Chinese standards. However, only one tenth, or about 40000 tons, of this can be called Merino wool.
Australia is the world's second largest sheep producer, with a total of just over 100 million sheep. Australia is the world's largest wool producer. The outstanding characteristic of Australian wool is its relatively slender length, which is produced from Merino sheep.
Australia produces 330000 tons of wool annually, with 91% of its wool having a diameter of less than 25 microns. Australia exports 180000 tons of wool to China every year, 85% of which is below 23 microns.
