Wool Scouring (#003)

In this episode we’ll unpack the nuance of one of the greatest barriers to sustainability of small batch yarn, wool scouring. We’ll share the 4 essential requirements for scouring, discuss fermented suint, reveal 3 types of scouring baths we use at our mill and also pro-tips on how to tell whether you’ve washed your wool effectively.

How do we put these pieces together and modernize how farms and mills work together on the task of both choosing quality wool and skirting it and scouring it. That ... is the golden question.
— Lydia Christiansen

There's something really remarkable about connecting with any raw material, of any kind. It's a primal sense of satisfaction. It fills us with a sense of belonging. The bottom line is, this is our earth, these are our resources, they're here for us, they're here for us to struggle with and to learn from with all of our senses. This is our earth, and we belong here.
— Lydia Christiansen

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We Want To Hear From You

Got wool stories, questions, or requests?  Call the new Modern Wool Podcast line, 619-516-WOOL (9665), anytime day or night to share your comments, compliments (yes please!), curiosities or anything wool-related at all.

Highlights From This Episode

• Lydia tells the story of her first time washing a fleece [2:36]
• Four essential requirements for scouring wool [11:50]
• Choosing a vessel [12:52]
• Hot Water [15:08]
• Soap & pH [19:30]
• Extraction [24:55]
• A few cautions for the home scouring setup [28:10]
• Fermented Suint Method or Cold Wash [32:34]
• Three type of scouring baths we use at the Abundant Earth Fiber Mill [37:15]
• Picking as part of the scouring process [40:12]
• Three tips to tell if you got all the grease out of your fleece [45:18]

Links Mentioned In This Episode

• Unicorn Power Scour
• pH Meter and Test Strips
• DIY Natural Laundry Soap
• Laundry Alternative Spin Dryer
• Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook — More than 200 Fibers from Animal to Spun Yarn
• Field Guide to Fleece — Compact reference of 100 sheep breeds and how to use their fibers
• Lavender Essential Oil — Whidbey Island grown and processed
• Purchase Raw Fiber from AEF!
• Wenslydale
• Coopworth
• Romney
• Targhee
• Wool Scouring Videos — Coming Soon!

Show Host

Lydia Christiansen

Mother, teacher, entrepreneur, self-taught textile processor, designer, and artist. Her work is an expression of devotion to our shared reliance on the natural world. At the heart of it all is her belief that the earth gives abundantly so we can thrive.