One of my customers recently wrote to me about the superwash process. Basically, this is a chemical application applied to wool fiber and it essentially strips away some of the cells lining the shaft of each fiber, leaving it exposed. This means that the little cells which line the fiber shaft will not rub against each other and catch, causing felting or fulling. Also, since more of the actual shaft is exposed, a superwash yarn will be a more vibrantly dyed fiber.
What was so interesting about this email was that my customer had attended a lecture at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival about fiber processing. The speaker said that there was a superwash process which individuals could actually at home in their washing machines. Then, they said it was a government secret. I couldn't get if this was a joke or not! BUT if you know about such a process, please, please let me in on this secret!
