Wool, a timeless fiber: history, properties and why to choose it in winter

There is a fiber that has accompanied humanity ever since we learned to dress against the cold. Precious, ancient, versatile: wool. It warmed the shepherds of prehistory, the merchants of the Middle Ages, the nomads of the desert, and still today, when the days grow shorter, it is wool we reach for to feel safe. In this guide we tell you where it comes from, how a woolen thread is born and why it remains the wisest choice for winter.

🐑 Where wool comes from

Wool is the fleece of certain animals, and it is a 100% natural fiber. Each animal gives a different yarn, with a character all its own:

• the sheep, with classic wool and the softest merino wool;
• the goat, which gives us cashmere and mohair;
• the rabbit, with fluffy angora wool;
• the camel and the yak, the Tibetan ox, with warm, light fibers that come from the coldest lands in the world.

📜 A thread thousands of years long

As far back as prehistory, people understood that sheep's fleece could protect them from the cold. For thousands of years wool was gathered by hand, then with the Iron Age came the first shears for shearing. In ancient Greece and in Rome wool clothed almost everyone, and in the Middle Ages it became one of the most precious goods in Europe, capable of making entire cities rich.

For centuries Spain bred merino sheep, guarding them jealously, and only between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries did these sheep spread to the rest of Europe and then as far as Australia, making merino wool famous all over the world. Such a long history is already proof of its value.

🧶 From fleece to thread, by hand

Still today, obtaining a woolen thread takes the same gestures as ever.

1. Shearing. The fleece is separated from the animal, then cleaned and washed.
2. Carding. The wool is untangled and combed until the fibers all run in the same direction.
3. Spinning. The fibers are drawn out and twisted until they become a continuous thread, wound onto spindles.

At this point the wool is ready to reach the hand loom of our artisans, who find their rhythm and begin to weave our winter accessories.

🔥 Why wool keeps you warm without making you sweat

The secret of wool lies in its shape. The fibers are crimped and, as they intertwine, they trap tiny bubbles of air: it is that still air that acts as a barrier against the cold. But wool also does something rarer: it is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs the vapor of perspiration and draws it away from the skin, so you stay warm and dry.

• It regulates temperature. It warms when it is cold and lets excess heat out when the sun comes back. That is why it is perfect for our increasingly uncertain seasons, with their sudden swings. It is no coincidence that desert peoples also wear it under the sun.
• It is soft on the skin. When it is not treated with harsh substances it keeps its lanolin, a natural wax produced by sheep, so gentle that it is even used as a soothing balm for breastfeeding mothers.
• It stays fresh for a long time. Because it breathes, it discourages the bacteria that cause bad odors: often a few hours of airing are enough.
• It lasts for years. The fiber is elastic and resilient, it returns to its shape and accompanies many winters.
• It has little fear of fire. Near a flame, wool tends to put itself out rather than melt.
• It returns to the earth. It is renewable, because it grows back every year, and biodegradable.

Synthetic fibers such as acrylic, which are plastic, hold in heat but do not breathe, and leave sweat on the skin. If you want to understand better why, we tell you everything in Polyester, the cancer of fashion. And if you are curious about the effect of wool on sleep and wellbeing, read wool is medicine.

🔍 Things you may not know

• Under the microscope, the wool fiber is covered with tiny scales, like the tiles of a roof. With hot water and rubbing, the scales hook onto one another: that is how wool felts. To avoid it, here is how to wash wool scarves and stoles without felting them.
• The natural color of wool ranges from ivory to black, passing through beige, amber and gray.
• It takes dye easily and happily joins other natural fibers, such as silk and cotton, to create even softer and brighter fabrics.

🧣 Malini's wool

Using only natural fibers is one of the pillars of Malini. For winter we choose wool, on its own or together with silk and cotton, and we entrust it to Indian artisans who print and embroider it by hand. Every scarf is born from a meeting between East and West: ancient techniques from India and Italian taste, for a unique piece that pairs naturally and accompanies you for many winters.

We tell you how they are born in the beauty of hand-printed wool scarves, and to learn more about the fibers we choose there is the importance of natural fibers.

Choose a natural, timeless embrace. Our wool scarves, stoles and shawls are handmade in India and travel free to Europe and the United States. 🐑✨