This course is designed to introduce you to wool, wool processing and to wool products.It provides an introductory overview to the journey of wool from farm to fashion.
You will explore the source of wool (sheep) and the process of harvesting wool (shearing, classing, baling and transport).The content covers the testing procedures carried out on raw wool to determine its value and explains how the raw wool is sold.
The manufacture of wool yarn through both the woollen and worsted processing systems is discussed and the manufacture of both knitted and woven wool textiles and products is covered. The course offers an overview of the quality assurance processes for wool products and showcases some of the latest product innovations incorporating wool fibres.
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- explain briefly how wool is manufactured from a greasy raw fibre into worsted and woollen yarn
- identify the different ways yarn can be woven or knitted and how this affects the end product
- briefly describe the processes used to dye and finish wool and the environmentally-responsible options associated with each process
- explain the garment faults that can occur during processing and how to best prevent them
- recognise the quality assurance behind the Woolmark brand
- identify different Merino innovations and how these can be used to enhance products made from wool.
- Introduction
- Farm to factory
- Raw wool measurement
- Manufacturing wool yarns
- Manufacturing wool products
- The quality of wool products
- Innovations in wool products
Modules: 6
Module 1: Farm to factory reviews where wool comes from and how it is harvested, the impact of sheep breed on wool type and its key quality characteristics and their implication on end-product applications. It also offers a high-level view of the farm-to-factory pipeline, including wool valuing and the wool auction system.
Module 4: Manufacturing wool products explores the processes used to manufacture wool products (fabric and garments) from worsted and woollen yarns). The individual processes are covered in detail in subsequent courses.
Module 5: The quality of wool products highlights some of the characteristics of wool products associated with quality, how these characteristics are assessed in quality assurance (QA) programs and how faults in wool fabrics and garments can be avoided. Quality control issues and systems associated with individual wool processing and production stages are covered in detail within subsequent courses.
Module 6: Innovations in wool products is the final module in this course. This module will describe some of the recent innovations in wool products, which capitalise on the fibre’s inherent properties and new processing technology.
