UNSHRINKABLE WOOL

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24028, 17 August 1943, Page 4

UNSHRINKABLE WOOL

♦ EFFICIENT PROCESS WELL ESTABLISHED RESEARCH AT TORRIDON Mr George Warren, Darfield, a member of the New Zealand Wool Council, writes in reference to an article in Saturday’s issue of “The Press dealing with the report of the Scientific and Industrial Research Department on the subject of unshrinkable wool, together with comments by Mr W. R. Carey, of the New Zealand Woollen Manufacturers’ Association. Mr Warren, on behalf of New Zealand .woolgrowers, adds further comment. , JU “Previous to the establishment of the International Wool Secretariat in London.” Mr Warren writes, “research in regard to unshrinkable wool was carried on in a most unsatisfactory manner at Torridon, due mainly to lack of funds, but when the International Wool Secretariat made available £12,000 per annum for research, from the £50,000 per annum contributed by the woolgrowers of Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, Torridon tackled this problem in earnest. The result has been that the Torridon process, known as the Woolindras process, has now been brought to a state of high efficiency, with a cost in the treatment of the wool of about id per lb. Before releasing the Woolindras process, the International Wool Secretariat carried out most exhaustive tests with it and with other unshrinkable processes used by certain manufacturing establishments at Home. At the time the other chief processes in use were the non-shrink process used by the Irvinebank Dyeworks, Ltd., the Driscoll process used by Turnbulls, Ltd., and the ordinary wet chlorine process used by quite a number of firms. “The investigations were carried out by the British Launderers Research Association on garments procured from three sources, and consisted of cheap, medium, and dear garments. The International Wool Secretariat contributed £IOO towards the cost of the investigations. After the Woolindras process had proVed its efficiency, it was passed on to the various wool councils in Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand, which, in turn, passed the process on to the manufacturers in each country without any thought of charge or royalty. “From the foregoing it is apparent that the woolgrowers of New Zealand contributed in no small part towards the development of unshrinkable wool, and some credit is due to them for their initiative, together with that of other countries, in setting up the International Wool Secretariat, and in contributing funds which brought the unshrinkable process to a speedy and successful conclusion. No Injury to Wool Qualities “In regard to making wool unshrinkable," says Mr Warren, “consumers need have no fear whatever that the processes do anything to injure the natural qualities that make wool so desirable as a clothing material, as Mr Carey’s comments might cause one to feel. Wool fibres are covered on the outside with scale-like structures, and under certain conditions of heat and moisture the tips of -these scales tend to rise and interlock, more especially when movement is added, such as in a washing machine. Cotted fleeces are caused in a somewhat similar manner. The sheep sheds wool fibres which, from the heat of the animal’s body, and the natural oil exuded, cause the scales to rise and interlock with the growing fibres. “Unshrinkable processes endeavour to remove merely the tips of the scales, and the processes most commonly used are the wet chlorine in which the wool is immersed in the mixture; the vapour process in which the wool is passed through a vapour -mixture of chlorine, and a much less used method of covering the fibres of wool with a jelly-like substance to prevent the scales from rising. The latter method is similar to the rubberising process in which the *wool passes through a rubber vapour. This is not for rendering the fabric waterproof, but to prevent the balling tendency of woollen garments, and in addition, gives the wool greater tensile strength, and helps garments to keep their shape better. “There is also the enzyme process, using an extract from papaws, which gives wool a silk-like appearance and feel, and prevents the Tickle’ so objectionable in wool garments to some people. Importance of Results “To show the importance that the British Government places on unshrinkable wool, the Army has let contracts for millions of pairs of men’s socks, and other men's wear, and at the commencement of the war, manufacturers in Great Britain set up 17 plants which are capable of processing 1,000,0001b of unshrinkable wool weekly. The standard to which unshrinkable wool must conform for Army contracts is called Warnorn. "The development of unshrinkable wool allows much finer wool to be used for military purposes, as the finer the wool the greater the propensity to shrink. Previously only wool up to 4046 counts was used in Army contracts. For several years now I have had samples of garments, including the open weave type, made from unshrinkable wool, and they are really excellent, and I only wish they were available in this country.” N.Z. Manufacturers’ Opportunity Mr Warren, in conclusion, said that it seemed strange to him that the manufacturer’s in New Zealand were still experimenting with unshrinkable wool when its value and efficiency had been proved beyond doubt in other countries. What one would have hoped was that, having been given the most efficient process by the woolgrowers of the Dominion, they would have wasted no time in setting up plants and proceeding to the manufacture of unshrinkable wool. “If they do not make some move soon, they will find the drapers’ shelves filled with unshrinkable wool garments from 6ther countries, and their own productions left in the warehouses, unwanted.”