ELEGANCE

The temperature-equalising properties of wool are the most important characteristics of this natural fibre. Extreme cold, extreme heat, wet weather – wool can be worn practically all year round.

If they are treated well and carefully looked after, most woollen fabrics keep their shape well, and recover quickly from creasing. Fashion designers can also dye wool in a wide variety of different colours.

Over 450 different animal species all over the world, mainly sheep and goats, give us this particularly elastic, hard-wearing material. Australia is the world’s largest wool producer, followed by New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Uruguay, India, Turkey, the United Kingdom, China and Russia.

Wool has been subject to special quality-control requirements for several decades. The International Wool Secretariat (IWS) introduced the Woolmark in 1964, and since then the use of the term “pure new wool” has been subject to strict conditions.

These are the wools favoured by Elégance fashion designers:

the soft, long, ultra-fleecy coat of the angora rabbit.

woven from effect yarns, with loops or little knots. Characteristic colour shading.

a very fine-yarn, naturally-breathing wool, crease-resistant, with high temperature-equalising properties.

soft-flowing, high-twist yarn with a superb texture.

a weave of plain or mélange yarns with a subtle texture.

the soft underhair of the camel, particularly fleecy and warming.

the hair of the cashmere goat, with an inimitable gleam. Very precious, extremely soft and supple.

the first shearing from lambs aged about six months. Very fine, fleece-soft wool.

very fine yarn, soft and heavily crimped. Merino wool produces extremely high-quality weaves and knits.

a splendid wool from the angora goat, with a fleece-soft texture.

wool from the Shetland sheep, very durable and hard-wearing.

wool produced from shearing the living sheep.

a soft, warming woollen fabric with a brushed surface.