Ultimate Manufacture

The worsted system

The worsted system produces smoother yarns and ultimately smoother fabrics, which are used to make such clothing items as classical suits, underwear and base layers, sportswear, socks, uniforms and sweaters which have a smooth appearance.

Worsted products generally have a smooth surface appearance. To produce these products, fleece from the main body (back and sides) of a sheep is used. This portion of wool is longer in terms of its fibre length in comparison to wool known as pieces or locks, which is shorn from the under-body of the sheep and around the legs and rear, tending to have a shorter fibre length.

Immediately after shearing, the long fleece wool is separated from the shorter wool. Although blending may take place, the longer fleece wools are processed through the worsted system, whereas the short wools are used to produce woollen-spun products, through the woollen system. It is the use of longer wools in the worsted system which enables smooth yarns  and fabrics to be made.

Superwash Treatment

Wool is treated using a small amount of Chlorine followed by the application of a resin which encapsulates the scale structure of each wool fibre, thus eliminating any propensity for felting shrinkage. The machine washable finish is permanent and cannot be removed by either mechanical or chemical means.

In addition to rendering the wool free from any potential for felting the machine washable treatment also enhances both softness and brightness of the wool fibre.

Machine Washable (Superwash) treated wool is used to make machine washable knitted products which meet Woolmark Standards for Machine washable (Test Method 31) or Total Easy Care (Test Method 31/254).