Using a bench-top rotor spinning system to measure variation between individual fleeces for predicting yarn and fabric characteristics
A. C. Schlink A B F , J. C. Greeff C , J. Ehni D and R. Denning EA 29 Carrick Street, Woodlands, WA 6018, Australia.
B Formerly: CSIRO Livestock Industries, Private Bag 5, Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
C Department of Agriculture of Western Australia, 10 Dore Street, Katanning, WA 6317, Australia.
D Institut Fur Textil und Verfahrenstechik, Korschtalstrasse 26, D-73770 Denkendorf, Germany.
E CSIRO Textile and Fibre Technology, PO Box 21, Belmont, Vic. 3216, Australia.
F Corresponding author. Email: acschlink@gmail.com
Animal Production Science 49(4) 333-339 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA07371
Submitted: 23 October 2007 Accepted: 27 January 2009 Published: 6 April 2009
Abstract
There is limited information available on variation among individual fleeces in yarn and fabric performance. In this study, 45 mid-side fleece samples (~30 g clean wool) with a wide range in fibre diameter, fibre diameter variation, curvature and felt ball diameter were used to determine whether these fleece characteristics significantly affected yarn and fabric shrinkage, and fabric pilling. Mid-side wool samples ranged from 13.5 to 24.0 µm mean fibre diameter, 46–108°/mm curvature and 22.2–30.2 mm felt ball diameter. Yarn felt shrinkage was significantly (P < 0.001) correlated with fibre diameter (r = –0.52), and total yarn shrinkage (r = 0.99). Fabric felt shrinkage was significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with curvature (r = –0.62), standard deviation of curvature (r = –0.60), and felt ball diameter (r = –0.51). Fibre diameter and curvature accounted for 31% of the variation in yarn felt shrinkage. Standard deviation of curvature and felt ball diameter accounted for 33% of the variation in fabric shrinkage. Fabric pilling was significantly (P < 0.001) correlated with fibre diameter (r = 0.65), with fibre diameter and standard deviation of curvature accounting for 48% of the variation in fabric pilling. These results show that it is possible to predict yarn and fabric shrinkage and fabric pilling outcomes of individual fleeces using raw wool parameters. This study indicates that there is considerable phenotypic variation between individual Merino fleeces in the properties of yarn and fabric produced, suggesting that it is possible to quantitatively select individual sheep directly for yarn and fabric outcomes to improve the consumer performance of woollen fabrics.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the staff at the Katanning Merino breeding flock, and A. M. Murray and H. Lynch for technical assistance. The authors also thank Dr P. Artzt for access to the Quickspin system at the Institut für Textil und Verfahrenstechnik, Denkendorf, Germany. The authors are also grateful to G. Naylor, M. Huson and P. Lamb for providing constructive comments on an earlier draft of this paper.
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