How Machine Washable Wool Works

Ever wonder how machine washable wool manages to be machine washable? Or why untreated wool felts in the first place? 🤔 As always. Science to the rescue! University of Nottingham, Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre (nmRC): https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmrc/under-the-microscope.aspx https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7177937292144054273/ The Reason Polyester Clothes Get So Stinky: https://youtu.be/zJVYTnFjiFg Find me elsewhere: ❤️ Get bonus footage for new videos on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kristinevike 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristine.vike/ 💌 Newsletter (I really enjoy writing these!), and website: https://kristinevike.com/ References: (1) Under the Microscope - The University of Nottingham. https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nmrc/under-the-microscope.aspx (2) Wool fibre structure and properties. Science Learning Hub. https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/image_maps/61-wool-fibre-structure-and-properties (3) Hassan, M. M.; Carr, C. M. A Review of the Sustainable Methods in Imparting Shrink Resistance to Wool Fabrics. J. Adv. Res. 2019, 18, 39–60. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209012321930013X?via%3Dihub (4) Rachel Makinson. Wikipedia; 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Makinson (5) Allen, N. Textile Physics and the Wool Industry: An Australian Woman Scientist’s Contribution. Agric. Hist. 1993, 67 (1), 67–77. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3744639 (6) Superwash. Woolpower. https://woolpower.se/en/our-supply-chain/superwash/ (7) Shrinkproofing Wool: A Quick Primer. The Wool Channel. https://www.thewoolchannel.com/shrinkproofing/ (8) LabosNakties. What’s wrong with washable wool? Medium. https://medium.com/@woollywishes/what-s-wrong-with-washable-wool-815bc8135421 (9) What is machine-washable wool: ‘Superwash’ and more sustainable solutions. Manteco. https://manteco.com/what-is-machine-washable-wool-superwash-and-more-sustainable-solutions/ (accessed 2024-05-05). (10)Wool readily biodegrades in marine environments. https://www.wool.com/news-events/news/wool-readily-biodegrades-in-marine-environments/ (11) agresearch. Microfibre Pollution and the Marine Biodegradation of Wool. Biproducts Fibre Technol. Res. Case Study. https://iwto.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/26-March-AgR-Research-Case-Study.pdf (12)Shen, J.; Rushforth, M.; Cavaco-Paulo, A.; Guebitz, G.; Lenting, H. Development and Industrialisation of Enzymatic Shrink-Resist Process Based on Modified Proteases for Wool Machine Washability. Enzyme Microb. Technol. 2007, 40 (7), 1656–1661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enzmictec.2006.07.034 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141022906004017 (13)Wang, L.; Yao, J.; Niu, J.; Liu, J.; Li, B.; Feng, M. Eco-Friendly and Highly Efficient Enzyme-Based Wool Shrinkproofing Finishing by Multiple Padding Techniques. Polymers 2018, 10 (11), 1213. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/10/11/1213 (14)Klepp, I. G.; Laitala, K. Washing Clothes. In The Routledge History of Fashion and Dress, 1800 to the Present; Routledge, 2023. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/oa-edit/10.4324/9780429295607-31/washing-clothes-ingun-grimstad-klepp-kirsi-laitala