iMerino
Fiber Selection Process
The i-merino fiber selection process
The credibility of i-merino fabrics and products is dependent at the outset upon the reliable selection of only the highest quality merino wool.
The quality of the merino wool fiber can be influenced considerably by the environment, seasonal changes and animal husbandry practices. Consequently, unlike synthetic products, each wool fiber is unique, as is each fleece.
To ensure we select merino wool that satisfies i-merino’s standards for softness, strength and crimp, our Quality Assurance program starts at the farm gate; every wool bale is objectively measured for the characteristics that produce premium quality merino fabrics. There are about 20-25 fleeces in each bale.
The bale is tested using certified procedures established by the Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) to produce a full report that describes the overall fiber profile, including the average fiber diameter and the variation of the fibers within each individual wool bale.
i-merino will not purchase merino wool that does not carry an AWTA test certificate, or does not meet the i-merino specifications. It is up to the i-merino wool grower to manage their merino sheep to produce the fiber that keeps our customers happy, and it is up to us to make sure the standards are maintained.
Fig 1 Histogram from an Australian Wool Testing Authority (AWTA) test certificate. An AWTA test certificate is recognized as the standard test report for wool across Australia.
Histograms generated by the AWTA depict the mean diameter and the range in diameters of wool fibers within a random sample of approximately 2000 fibers. The smaller the percentage of broad fibers, the better the wool is performance fabric manufacturing.
