Question: How does wool fibre (woolen clothes) help in keeping our body warm in winter?
Answer:
It is winter now. And many of us use to wear woolen clothes (like sweaters, shawls, fleece jackets, etc.) to keep our bodies warm and to protect ourselves from the cold.
Do you know how do woolen clothes keep our body warm? In this post, we have explained the facts that help wool fibre and woolen apparel in keeping our bodies warm in the winter season.
The wool fibres have a crimped configuration. This prevents the wool fibres to align themselves too close when it is being spun into yarn. Due to this about the two-thirds volume of the wool fibres has air spaces. You know the air is a poor conductor of heat. Thus, these air spaces help wool fibre in trapping the body heat and prevent it from radiating out. On the other hand, the outside cold air can’t enter inside the woolen clothes insulations.
Its natural layer of keratin provides an extra barrier along with the wool fibre which also helps in maintaining the body temperature.
In addition to that, the unruliness of the crimp causes wool fibre ends to project above the wool surface. This fibre ends cause a prickling sensation in the body which increases the blood circulation in the body and helps in raising the temperature of the body.
Another reason that makes wool suitable for winter wear is that even when it’s damp it still keeps us warm. This is due to its high absorbency which means it can hold a lot of moisture before feeling wet. Wool also wicks moisture away from the body, stopping cold wet surfaces to rest on the skin. Apart from all these it also generates heat when wet, giving more warmth to the body.
It is winter now. And many of us use to wear woolen clothes (like sweaters, shawls, fleece jackets, etc.) to keep our bodies warm and to protect ourselves from the cold.
Do you know how do woolen clothes keep our body warm? In this post, we have explained the facts that help wool fibre and woolen apparel in keeping our bodies warm in the winter season.
The wool fibres have a crimped configuration. This prevents the wool fibres to align themselves too close when it is being spun into yarn. Due to this about the two-thirds volume of the wool fibres has air spaces. You know the air is a poor conductor of heat. Thus, these air spaces help wool fibre in trapping the body heat and prevent it from radiating out. On the other hand, the outside cold air can’t enter inside the woolen clothes insulations.
Its natural layer of keratin provides an extra barrier along with the wool fibre which also helps in maintaining the body temperature.
In addition to that, the unruliness of the crimp causes wool fibre ends to project above the wool surface. This fibre ends cause a prickling sensation in the body which increases the blood circulation in the body and helps in raising the temperature of the body.
Another reason that makes wool suitable for winter wear is that even when it’s damp it still keeps us warm. This is due to its high absorbency which means it can hold a lot of moisture before feeling wet. Wool also wicks moisture away from the body, stopping cold wet surfaces to rest on the skin. Apart from all these it also generates heat when wet, giving more warmth to the body.
Also read: 8 uses of wool fibre
Sources:
- https://www.woolovers.com/blog/why-wool-keeps-you-warmer-
- https://www.woolme.co.uk/blog/how-does-wool-keep-us-warm/
- https://images.pexels.com/photos