Wool business: processing sheep wool. Necessary equipment for processing sheep wool. Production of high quality products from natural wool

Wool is animal hair that can be used to make yarn, fabrics, and felted or felted products. The bulk of wool processed by industry is sheep wool. A small amount of wool is obtained from goats, camels, llamas, yaks, horses, cows, deer, musk oxen, dogs, and rabbits. The share of sheep wool in the gross production of all types of wool is 96%.
Wool that is sheared from animals, combed or collected when animals shed is called natural, and wool taken from the skins of killed animals is called factory wool. Natural wool also includes wool obtained by plucking worn wool products or scraps of fabric and yarn using appropriate machines.
Of the entire array of 603 recorded sheep breeds in the world, the majority of fine-fleece, semi-fine-fleece, semi-coarse-wool and coarse-wool sheep are, to one degree or another, oriented towards wool production. Only 52 breeds of hairless sheep do not participate in this.
In countries with developed sheep farming, for a long time the main attention was paid to the breeding of sheep for wool, wool-meat and meat-wool productivity and wool production. The leaders in wool production were and remain in 2007 Australia (437 thousand tons), China (395 thousand tons), New Zealand (217 thousand tons), Iran (75 thousand tons), Great Britain (62 thousand tons ), Russia (52 thousand tons), Uruguay (50 thousand tons), Sudan (46 thousand tons), Turkey (46 thousand tons), India (45.5 thousand tons).
Despite the many advantages of natural wool, its production in many countries and around the world is steadily declining. For the period 1990-2007. World wool production decreased by 39.2%. The reasons for this were: the high cost of producing natural wool, the successful entry into the market of chemical fibers that are similar in their properties to the fibers (wool) of natural wool, plowing and sowing of pasture areas used by sheep with grains and industrial crops, the development of the ecological niche traditionally occupied by sheep by beef cattle. .
However, sheep wool remains the main raw material for the textile industry, which produces products using wool, the demand for which remains quite high not only in countries with cold climates.
The level of wool productivity of sheep, the volume of wool production and its quality are influenced by numerous factors, most of which will be discussed below.

A special feature of wool fabrics is the varied composition of raw materials. For their production they use fine, semi-fine, semi-coarse and coarse sheep, goat, camel and recovered (recycled) wool, waste and waste from wool production, short (staple) viscose, lavsan, nylon, nitron fibers, viscose and nylon threads, as well as cotton yarn.

The production of woolen fabrics includes stages that are shown in the following flowchart

Canvas wool fabric is formed as a result of the interweaving of two systems of threads located in two mutually perpendicular directions. The threads running along the fabric are called warp (warp), and the threads located across the fabric are called weft (weft). The operations of producing woolen fabric are called weaving. It plays the main role in forming the structure of woolen fabrics, which is the second factor determining their performance properties.

The weaving process includes preparatory operations and weaving itself.

The purpose of the preparatory operations is to prepare the warp and weft threads for weaving, which consists of rewinding, warping, sizing and threading.

Rewinding involves rewinding threads from small skeins onto large bobbins to increase their length and is carried out using winding machines. To increase the uniformity of the threads on the loom and in the fabric, they are placed on a bobbin with a certain tension. This ensures greater uniformity of the wool fabric structure. When rewinding, the threads are cleared of fluff and debris, and the most pronounced defects are removed.

The warping process consists of winding the warp threads in a certain order on a warping machine with large number digging onto the warping roller.

Sizing consists of impregnating the warp threads with adhesive and softening substances. This gives them greater smoothness and increases strength, which ensures less thread breakage on the loom. When preparing size, starch, gelatin, synthetic substances are used as adhesives, wood glue.

Parting is threading (punching) the warp into the eyes of the heddle heddle between the teeth of the reed.

Preparing weft threads involves rewinding and moistening them. The weft threads are rewound onto forgings, the shape and size of which are convenient for the weaving process (shuttle bobbins, bobbins). In this case, the threads are cleaned of debris, some spinning defects are removed, and the winding length is increased. To give the weft threads increased elasticity, fix the twist, eliminate twists, threads flying off the bobbin and reduce breakage, they are moistened, treated with steam or emulsions.

Actually weaving. During this operation, the structure of woolen fabric is formed from warp and weft threads. Let's consider the process of fabric formation on a conventional loom (Fig. 1).

Rice. 2.1.

The warp threads, coming off the beam 1, go around the rock 2, which gives them a direction close to horizontal, pass through the dividing sticks 3 and through the eyes of the healds 4. The healds raise some warp threads and lower others, as a result, free space is formed between them - shed 5, into which shuttle 6 inserts weft thread. The latter is nailed to the edge of the produced tissue with the teeth of the reed 7 as a result of the rocking movement of the reel 8, on which the reed is fixed. Then the healds and the warp threads threaded into them change position, moving vertically. During the movement of the healds and the formation of the weaving shed, the baton with the reed moves away from the edge of the fabric and a space is formed into which the shuttle runs, again laying the weft thread in the shed. After nailing the next weft thread, the take-up roller 9 rotates to a certain angle, feeding occurs small area bases, and the produced fabric, bending around the chest 10 and the guide roller 11, is wound onto the product shaft 12.

For improvement appearance and others consumer properties Wool fabrics are subjected to complex chemical and physical-mechanical processes called finishing.

The purpose of finishing operations is to endow wool fabric with certain properties and at the same time preserve useful properties the fiber from which it is made.

Finishing of woolen fabrics includes several successive stages: preliminary finishing, color stage, final finishing.

The purpose of pre-finishing is to prepare the fabric for color finishing (dying or patterned coloring) or to give necessary properties bleached fabrics.

The finishing of woolen fabrics differs significantly from the finishing of cotton and linen, which is determined by the structure and properties of the wool fiber. Besides, individual species Woolen fabrics are subjected to various finishing operations depending on their raw material composition, type of yarn and structure of the raw material.

Searing. Only some combed fabrics are singed to obtain greater relief and purity of the weaving pattern. This operation is performed on gas singeing machines, and only smooth woolen fabrics are singed on plate machines.

Welding. This is specific finishing operation combed wool fabrics. The straightened fabric wound on a roller is treated with boiling water for 15 - 20 minutes, followed by cooling. This relieves the internal stresses that arise in the fibers during drawing during the spinning and weaving processes. Under the influence of heat and moisture, wool keratin turns into a fixed state, after which the yarn and fabric acquire a uniform structure that is not disturbed by subsequent treatments. In addition, brewing prevents the appearance of creases that form as a result of prolonged mechanical impact working parts of machines on fabric folds.

Washing involves removing impurities and preparing wool fabrics for subsequent operations.

Valka. This is one of the most important operations in the production of cloth fabrics, affecting the formation of their structure and properties. Both pure wool and half-woolen fabrics made from hardware yarn are subjected to felling.

During the rolling process, the fabric becomes densified due to shrinkage along the length and width, as well as an increase in its thickness. As a result of felting of fibers, a felt-like covering is formed on the surface of the fabric. After rolling, the fabric becomes soft, dense, and its heat resistance, strength and wear resistance increase. The felt-like covering, covering the weaving pattern, gives the fabric smoothness and improves its appearance.

Carbonization. This operation is carried out only for pure wool fabrics in order to clean them of cellulose impurities that cannot be removed from the fabric mechanically. Carbonation is carried out after washing or after felling, and sometimes after dyeing.

To remove cellulose impurities, mineral acids are used in such a concentration that the wool fiber is not damaged, but the cellulose is destroyed, turning into hydrocellulose, or charred.

Napping. Some types of broadcloth fabrics are brushed to give them a product-specific appearance, as well as increased softness, fluffiness, and heat protection.

Bleaching. Woolen fabrics are very rarely bleached, as this significantly reduces their strength. The coloring pigments of wool fiber are located in the cortical layer, so bleaching substances, destroying them, also affect the cortical layer. Bleaching of woolen fabrics (fibers, yarns) is carried out using chemical and optical methods. At chemical method Reducing agents (sodium bisulfite, hydrosulfite) and oxidizing agents (hydrogen peroxide, sodium dioxide) are used as bleaching agents.

Wet decatification. To equalize stress in the fabric and prevent the formation of creases during further processing, combed and thin-woven fabrics are subjected to wet decating. According to the purpose and conditions of implementation, this operation is close to welding. But unlike welding, the fabric in this case is exposed not only hot water, but also a couple.

Color finishing of woolen fabrics consists of two operations: dyeing and printing.

The dyeing process involves applying dyes to fabric to obtain a uniform color of a specific color.

Printing woolen fabric involves applying a color design using organic dyes or pigments.

The final finishing of wool fabrics includes following operations: drying and widening, cutting and cleaning, finishing, pressing, final decating.

Drying and spreading are carried out on drying and spreading machines different designs, on which leveling and bringing the width to standard standards and drying of fabrics occur simultaneously. The moisture content in pure wool fabrics is increased to 13, and in half-wool fabrics - to 10-12%.

Haircut and cleaning. Worsted fabrics are sheared to remove protruding ends of fibers and knots from the front surface, thereby making the surface of the fabric smoother and the weaving pattern better revealed. Cloth pile fabrics are cut to equalize the height of the pile pile.

Light combed (worsted) fabrics are subjected to finishing to give them density, fullness and softness, and also to reduce shine.

Pressing is used when finishing cloth fabrics after shearing and cleaning in order to compact, even out the thickness of the fabric and make the surface smooth.

Final decalming is the final finishing operation for all woolen fabrics. It is carried out to prevent shrinkage of the fabric during sewing and use of products, as well as to give the fabrics a moderate shine. The fabrics are treated in a free state with hot steam and then gradually cooled.

Based on the above, the work being carried out to expand the raw material base and methods of producing woolen fabrics is aimed at improving technology and reducing production costs. To improve the quality of fabrics at the production stage, they try to achieve high ergonomic and aesthetic indicators, as well as eliminate existing defects. These operations make it possible to increase the level of competitiveness of woolen fabrics and products made from them.

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Wool production includes all actual shorn sheep, goat, camel hair and goat fluff, regardless of whether it was sold or used for on-farm needs. Wool obtained from sheepskins during industrial processing into leather (so-called sour wool) is not included in the products.  

Wool production should increase by more than 80 percent due to further development fine-fleece and semi-fine-fleece sheep breeding in the old sheep-breeding regions of the RSFSR and Ukraine, as well as in the regions of Eastern Siberia, Central Asia and Transcaucasia.  

In the field of cellulosic wool production, copper-ammonia fiber also occupies a special position as a wool-type fiber with exceptionally permanent crimp, used primarily for processing into worsted yarn. The special structure of the fiber (greater internal order compared to the external) and the relatively high copper content, which can negatively affect the bond of rubber with fiber, have not yet made it possible to find an appropriate application for it in this area. For the same reasons, the possibility of using horsehair from copper-ammonia fiber in some cases is reduced, while in other areas copper-ammonia horsehair turns out to be completely suitable.  

Information about wool production in Russia is very incomplete. There is no doubt that up to 8 million pounds of unwashed wool should be mined in Russia, but a lot of the wool in our country is used in peasant use for the preparation of household products (felt boots, mittens, socks, felts, etc.  

We need to increase wool production. A man loves a good wool suit. But it must still be said that now chemistry produces wool of good quality and in the future the production of artificial wool will increase rapidly. But chemistry doesn’t produce meat yet.  

Contained in emissions from wool production (as a disinfectant and bleaching agent), dyes, paper, fibers, rubber products, and pharmaceuticals.  

Over the past 12 years, wool production in the United States has increased from 52 thousand tons to 61 thousand tons, and its share in general production textile raw materials even decreased from 1 8 to 1 4 percent, while specific gravity The production of synthetic fibers, replacing mainly wool, has increased over the years by more than 5 times.  

Currently, the level of wool production is far from meeting the growing needs of the country.  

Increasing wool production in the country is also of great importance. In a number of regions and districts, high yields of sheep wool have been achieved.  

To ensure such a large increase in wool production, it is necessary to make better use of natural and economic conditions separate zones, conducive to the development of sheep farming, it is necessary to create a strong food base sheep breeding, irrigate unused pastures, and mechanize the lifting of water from wells.  

In connection with the task of increasing wool production, the number of sheep in the country should increase by 40 million heads by the end of the five-year plan. This increase in livestock will make it possible to obtain an additional 400-500 thousand tons of lamb in 1960, and in total we will have approximately 1 million 200 thousand tons of lamb.  

In our opinion, issues of stimulating the production of fine wool require additional consideration.  

In the coming seven years, there should be a significant increase in the production of wool, mainly fine and semi-fine, astrakhan smoka, fur and coat sheepskins, as well as lamb, which is the main type of meat in many regions of the country. For these purposes, it is necessary to develop sheep breeding in every possible way, especially in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other republics of Central Asia, in the regions of Siberia, the Southern Urals, the North Caucasus, the Volga region, where there are large areas still underdeveloped pastures.  

Kazakhstan has made a great contribution to increasing wool production, which over the years on collective and state farms of the republic has increased by 1; times. Now half of the wool harvested in the republic is classified as fine and semi-fine, whereas in 1953 only 25 percent of such wool was harvested. The number of sheep increased from 16 to 27i million, or by M percent.  

The main types of raw materials for the production of woolen fabrics are animal fibers, recovered wool, cotton yarn, waste products and chemical fibers. main sources natural fibers animal origin - sheep, goats and camels. On sheep wool accounts for more than 90% of all wool used in industry. The most valuable are fine-fleece and semi-fine-fleece sheep breeds, because... they combine high quality wool and high cut. Moreover, the drier the climate, the better and higher quality the wool. Hence the specific areas of development of this industry: steppes, deserts and semi-deserts. Made from fine wool best fabrics and cloth. Coarse wool is used to produce coarse cloth, felt, carpets, etc.

In Russia, fine-fleece sheep breeding is developed in the North Caucasus, the Lower Volga region and Siberia, semi-fine-fleece sheep breeding is developed in the Middle Volga region, Bashkiria and Tataria, Eastern Siberia and the Center. During the Soviet years, the USSR never fully provided itself with raw materials and purchased large quantities of wool from Australia, New Zealand, Mongolia, Argentina and Uruguay. In recent decades, the industry's raw material base has expanded through the use of chemical fibers. Russia ranks sixth in the world in terms of development of sheep breeding; CIS – second place.

Main sheep breeding areas:

ü Volga region, Northern Caucasus, Transbaikalia;

ü Kyrgyzstan, south-eastern Kazakhstan, southern Ukraine;

ü Karakul farming – in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan (Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts);

ü coarse-wool and meat-wool sheep breeding is developed in Kazakhstan;

ü fine-fleece and semi-fine-fleece - in the European part of Russia and Siberia.

The first manufactory for the production of army cloth was organized in Moscow in 1698. But the wool industry received the most significant impetus in its development in post-reform times. And the geography of this period practically repeated the location of the cotton industry - Moscow, Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the Baltic states. Post-revolutionary development and changes in the location of the industry were limited mainly to the reconstruction of old enterprises and the construction of new ones in Central Asia and Kazakhstan.

Today, the wool industry is a large branch of the textile industry, represented by hundreds of enterprises, half of which produce fabrics, and the rest - carpets and felt products, as well as primary processing of wool. It has not escaped the consequences of the ongoing economic crisis and produces 2 times less fabric than in the 60s.

The leading factors in the location of the industry are usually raw materials and consumer goods. The first one plays a significant role when locating enterprises for the primary processing of wool, the second - when locating enterprises producing finished products. The labor factor (predominant use of women's hands) is also very significant.

The largest wool washing enterprises in Russia are located in the Stavropol Territory, the Volga region and Krasnodar region. However, in some cases, unwashed wool may be removed entirely from the harvesting areas. This is typical for the Urals, Central Black Earth and Northwestern regions. In recent decades wide application chemical fibers significantly reduces the importance of the raw material placement factor.

Enterprises producing woolen fabrics are located everywhere in Russia, with the exception of Far East. But four economic regions are considered the largest producers of woolen fabrics and products: Central (Moscow and the Moscow region). Volga region (Ulyanovsk and Penza regions), East Siberian (Ulan-Ude, Chita, Chernogorsk) and Volga-Vyatka ( Nizhny Novgorod Region and Mordovia).

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With the development of technology, it has become difficult to determine whether the fabric in front of us is natural or not. Now, for example, it is difficult to find products made from natural wool that do not contain any other fibers.

Many people only know about wool that it is a fabric of natural origin that retains heat well. Basically, the wool of sheep, camels and goats is used for its production.

Properties of wool

Almost all wool is resistant to stains and does not wrinkle. Various odors, such as smoke, food or sweat, are well evaporated from this fabric. It does not absorb moisture, but absorbs water in the form of steam. It is because of this that the products dry slowly. Wool fabric retains heat well, and during wear it falls off, and therefore becomes even warmer and also windproof.

Wool can be used to sew suits, sweaters, dresses, and coats. Depending on what product the material is planned to be used for, wool fibers are divided into:

• Worsted or combed fabrics. They have smooth surface and a pronounced weave pattern. This type of wool is light and thin, so it is rarely added to coats. The fabric is mainly used for sewing blouses or dresses.
• Fine cloth fabrics. Wool made using this method is soft and porous and has high heat-protective properties.
• Rough cloth fabrics. Due to the fact that this species is tough and prickly, it is used in the production of uniforms and men's coats.
• Pure wool fabrics. They have good heat protection, elasticity, and practically do not wrinkle. But in front of everyone positive characteristics This fabric is susceptible to abrasion and is prone to shrinkage of the product.
• Wool blend fabrics. To this type most often add various synthetic fibers, but even this does not save the fabric from rapid contamination and reduced hygroscopicity.

History of origin

Archaeologists claim that wool was used 1500 BC. It was then that people were able to domesticate goats and sheep and use their hair to make woolen fabric. Wool was especially popular in Ancient Rome.

In the middle of the century, wool began to be traded, and in the 13th century, the economy of a country such as Italy began to depend on its production. A little later, England began to produce woolen fabric, where profits from the production and sale of wool became a significant part of the budget. The first English factory was located in Winchester. For illegal wool production, many were punished by having their hands cut off.

In 1966, wool production was curtailed due to low demand for the fabric. But ten years later, due to the invention of technology that made it possible to wash woolen products, interest in fabric returned.

Wool production

Today there are several major wool producers in the world, these include:

• South Africa;
• Argentina;
• Australia;
• China.

Wool production technology includes four stages. First, shearing, then ranking and sorting, the next step is creating yarn, and the final stage is making the fabric itself.

Sheep are sheared once a year, at the beginning of spring or summer. The best wool is considered to be the one that is cut from the sides and shoulders. Only that which is sheared from a healthy and living animal can be called sheared wool. This type is marked with a “wool label” established by the International Wool Commission.

The sorting and ranking stage consists of removing dirty, damaged and low-grade wool, as well as selecting raw materials based on fiber quality.

The wool is then processed with a special detergent. This is done to remove yellowness and impurities from dirt and sand. When the fibers dry, they are combed out with rollers that have fine teeth. The fibers unraveled by the teeth are aligned into a sheet called a net. Later this network is knitted into ropes, they are called silver.

Wool dyeing can be done at any of the manufacturing stages; also, at any of the stages, the fibers can be subjected to various influences that will give them required type and structure.

In order to give wool fibers strength and density, they undergo a process of felling. It involves soaking the wool in water and then running it through rollers.

How is wool produced?

Features of use

IN modern world wool is used to make such products as:

• Sweaters
• Dresses
• Coat
• Suits
• Jackets
• Trousers
• Boot linings
• Scarves, hats, mittens
• Carpets and blankets

Items made of woolen fabric must be washed with products intended for wool, and only by hand. The temperature should not exceed 30 degrees, and when washing woolen items should not be twisted or rubbed.

Woolen items should be dried on a flat surface away from heating radiators and direct sun rays. Items must be ironed in the wool mode or with the dampening function.

If, during wear, some areas of clothing that are subject to friction or pressure become shiny, then the defect can be eliminated by steaming. After this, the product can be cleaned with a stiff brush table salt or river sand.

IN Lately There are fewer and fewer real wool products on the markets, because it is cheaper for manufacturers to add additional wool synthetic materials. But this does not mean that woolen items have lost their relevance. In winter, they are indispensable due to their versatility, breathability, elasticity and wear resistance.

And of course you recognized this man in the sweater :)