Dyed-in-the-wool views ‘backed by research’

Press, 31 May 1985, Page 19

Dyed-in-the-wool views ‘backed by research’

New Zealanders' dyed-in-the-wool attitudes about the superior warmth and comfort of wool garments have backing in tests done throughout the world, says the Wool Board in response to an article on synthetic fibres in a supplement of the May 29 edition of "The Press.”

Clothing designed for body warmth, such as thermal underwear, was intended to provide comfort for the wearer under a variety of body activity levels from resting to strenuous climbing. Wool was the fibre that kept the wearer warmer — or cooler — in changing weather conditions, the board said. At low levels of activity, heat loss by perspiration was minor and clothing must trap thick, insulating layers of air around the body for warmth. Wool was especially suitable for providing such warmth, given its bulk without weight and natural resilience. That resilience helped it retain its bulk through wear and washing. The board asserted that tests proved that wool was denser than partly hollow synthetics such as polypropylene. The surface fibres of wool were natur-

ally hairy and could be readily raised or brushed to provide even greater warmth. Wool was naturally soft and warm to the touch.’ The ability of wool underwear fabrics to transport moisture by diffusion within the fibres, as well as through the air spaces between them, kept their breathability greater than that of synthetic fibre fabrics of equivalent construction. the board said. At strenuous activity levels, perspiration occurred and for effective body cooling. this should be encouraged to evaporate at skin level, taking heat from the body as it did so. This could be achieved by using a non-wicking, readily breathable fabric — a requirement well fulfilled by wool.

It was important for comfort that underwear should not cling or feel damp against the skin. A hairy fabric was better than a smooth surface, both when the wearer perspired and was cooling down. By removing liquid perspiration from the skin surface, wicking underwear reduced its evaporative cooling efficiency, thus encouraging perspiration, the board said.

These views are shared by John Skelton, a mountaineer and skier who runs Ski and Climb International in Britain which supplies garments and equipment all over the world. "Survival in the mountains can depend on the type of underwear you have on — it's as critical as that," he said. "On the way up you tend to work hard, so you stay warm, but when you stop, synthetics allow moisture to permeate back to the skin and you get cold and wet. Wool prevents that. "Wool fabrics are the only ones which retain anv ther-

mal properties when wet." he said.

Skelton said that wool had the ability to generate heat when wet. "People think that's an old wives' tale, but it's not." he said. "The Scots, among others, have known this for generations and it's well documented that in the 1700 s Scottish soldiers dipped their plaids into streams before wrapping them around themselves to keep warm when they went to sleep." Not everyone pushes themselves or their clothing to this extent, but the fact that wool performs in those conditions is testimony to its effectiveness, the Wool Board asserts.