There are as many or more uses of fiber as there are types of fiber. The uses of fiber are tied to the characteristics of the fiber and merino is not the king of fibers. In fact it has limited uses! So what are some of the uses of fiber?
Coarse/ Carpet fiber
Coarse fiber is often called carpet fiber due to it’s extensive use for carpets. Natural fiber is naturally fire resistant and automatically helps regulate the ambient humidity with it’s natural absorption and release of water. Natural fiber carpets come in two main styles – pile and woven. Persian carpets are a type of a pile carpet, where loops are knotted around the warp. Woven carpets are woven flat in either a tabby or a twill. They can be plain or highly decorative and come in many shapes and sizes. Coarse fiber is best suited to carpets because it’s the most durable of all the natural fibers.
Coarse wool is also excellent for outerwear including sports wear. Hunting tweeds are a traditional example of coarse wool being used for extremely durable outerwear. These garments were and are well known to last a long time under rough conditions and they are still valued for their ability to go through the brush while hunting and hold up.
Medium Fiber
Medium Fiber holds the biggest number of breeds and varieties of wool of the three categories. For this reason this category is often split into several smaller categories, especially with fibers that straddle category lines. These include: down wool; long wool; mohair; and llama.
Medium fiber is a very versatile fiber that can be everything from socks to scarves to skirts to mittens. This fiber isn’t as durable as the coarse fiber but it’s much softer and more wearable than coarse fiber.
Fine Fibers
Fine fibers are the softest of all the fibers, and are sometimes considered the most desirable. But the softness comes with a lack of durability and a tendency to pill. Fine wools include: alpaca, merino, cashmere, angora and yak. These fibers can be difficult to handle and prone to felting. On the other hand they are luxuriously soft and lovely to wear next to the skin.
Natural fibers are amazing! They are sustainable, all natural, and very durable.
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