Analyzing Western Wool: science behind value and cleansing methods
This book presents a master’s thesis from the University of California, Berkeley, detailing over a year of work on western wools. It focuses on how composition, cleanliness, and handling affect wool quality and market value.
The study analyzes raw wool into its major parts—fibre, grease, dirt, moisture, and ash—using careful sampling and a systematic procedure. It also surveys early attempts to cleanse wool and examines the by-products created during processing. The author notes industry practices on both sides of the Atlantic and discusses how more precise analysis could improve accuracy in wool evaluation.
- Learn how moisture, dirt, and grease influence wool behavior and value
- See the step‑by‑step method used to separate fibre, fat, and contaminants
- Understand how fats are tested and refined, including references to fat components and cholesterol-like substances
- Discover how by‑products from cleansing processes were investigated and interpreted
Ideal for readers of textile science, industrial history, and anyone curious about how raw wool becomes a market‑ready product.