Episode 212 | Superwash Wool Part 2 w/ Cliff Cox

YarnStories Podcast

Cliff Cox is the Plant Manager at Chargeurs, a multi-national company with a plant in South Carolina that produces superwash and non-superwash wool sliver (combed and carded top). In this two-part series we will use the conversation with Cliff to dive into the deep mysteries of Superwash Wool and the ways it is made.

Interview Notes:

Review…..

• The structure of wool and wool scales up close
  
• Why and how wool felts/shrinks (DFE)
  
• Wool before and after the chlorine/Hercosett process
  
• Wool before and after the Chlorination portion
  
• Chargeurs, where Cliff work

NEW Notes….

• Wool Pools! I just imagine a swimming pool full of wool that I can dive into and swim in like Scrooge McDuck with his vault of coins
• Wool Mercerization using Silicone Softeners
• Not Cotton Mercerization
• Coated Fleeces can keep Vegetable Matter (VM) down
  
• Carbonizing of VM for wool
• The enzyme based process study abstract
• UV/Sericin Process for finished fabric
• Life Fiber Eco Friendly Treatment not durable, since it doesn’t bond to the wool surface
• Bio-based polymers for non-shrink wool treatment include Collagen, Chitosan, and Feather Keratin
• Plasma Process, using Ozone, an “organic” process.
• Modified Drum Carder Descaling
• EcoWash Wool available from Spirit Trail Fiberworks
• Comparative Shrink Resistance of different methods
• This slide show was super helpful
• Breeds of wool less likely to felt:

  

  Doreset Down Sheep *squee*

  Dorset Down
  Hampshire Down
  Oxford Down
  Shropshire
  Southdown
  Suffolk
  Dorset Ham
  Dorset Poll
  Clun Forest
  Cheviot
  Portland

I want to thank Cliff Cox and Chargeurs for talking to me in such candid detail about how they run their plant.

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This podcast was produced in Salt Lake City UT, with production help from Sid Fallon. Music is by the ever illusive Breakmaster Cylinder.

I’ll see you again in 2 weeks when we have a chat with designer, author, and publisher, Hunter Hammersen.