SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29746, 13 February 1962, Page 17

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Although research into the properties and ; nature of wool has long been carried out in ; countries processing the fibre, the most I marked development of recent years has been I the establishment of research laboratories in ; wool-producing countries. In the last 10 years a flow of new ideas | and discoveries has come from Australian and 1 South African laboratories, and a Wool Re- ; search Organisation has recently been estab- ; lished in New Zealand. I Wool fabrics are now available in a : variety of “easy-care” finishes such as drip- : dry, non-iron, permanent-crease, shrink- ; resistant, moth-proof, and so on. These ; advances have been achieved by taking I advantage of basic research into the chemical ■ nature of wool, most of which was carried ; out in Leeds. ; Present-day basic research will provide : a foundation for the technological achieve- ! ments of the future, promising wool fabrics with even better properties. These modifica- I tions of wool can be made while still retaining ; the many excellent features of wool fabrics, ; which surpass those of other textile fibres. : Scientific research is still working to : explain such features as the proven warmth • of wool fabrics, which has now been shown to ; be because of the response of the fibre to : atmospheric humidity, rather than to simple : thermal insulation. Other research pro- ■ grammes are aimed at explaining the remark- ; able elasticity of wool, which enables a I garment to conform to the movements of the ■ wearer and still retain its shape. ; The enormous complexity of the wool ; fibre compared to man-made fibres is still ; defying the efforts of scientists to unlock I all its secrets. As more knowledge is ac- ; cumulated, wool will gain new properties and ; uses. ; —I. K. Walker, Director of the Dominion ; Laboratory and member of the Wool Research : (WiiniwHnn mwnfivo !