History of wool

Woolen fiber is one of the oldest types of fabric material. Simultaneously with the processes of domestication of animals, man learned to make fabrics from the wool of living animals, characterized by their lightness and high heat-shielding properties.

If the history of silk is directly related to China, then the wool originated simultaneously in many geographical areas around the world. The earliest evidence of wearing woolen things refers to the Babylonian kingdom, the very name of which translates as "the land of wool". However, the most ancient archeological finds of woolen products were discovered in Egypt, dating back to 3500 BC, where white cloaks were popular among the people. The highest quality of wool weaving in the Ancient World was spread in China, and even today's modern products cannot boast such a level of production.

There are many animals, of which wool the ancient masters made fabrics. For example, in America they used wool of lamas and buffalo, in Asia - goats and camels. However, the sheep have always been the undisputed leader in the production of wool. They were so highly valued in the Ancient World that the wealth of the owner was calculated according to the number of sheep in the herd, and the most expensive wool in the world - merino wool was even forbidden to be exported from Spain under pain of death until the 18th century.

The international wool trade began with the Portuguese sailors. Traders and producers from different countries adopted each other's experience, improving sheep breeding and wool production in their countries. In Australia Merino sheep were imported in the XIX century, and the climate was so suitable that since then a boom in the production of wool of the highest quality began, and Australia has become a world leader in the manufacture of wool. Countries with a developed wool industry also include New Zealand, Russia, Argentina, South Africa, Uruguay.

From the wool they made not only clothes, but also rugs, blankets, rugs. As if nothing has changed in the modern world, is it? Despite the emergence of synthetic fabrics, cheaper and easier to manufacture, woolen products have not lost their relevance. This is confirmed by the unique properties of the tissue, which no artificial tissue can reproduce.