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Wool was primary fiber for naalbinding—its characteristics made it ideal for the technique while the technique exploited wool’s properties effectively.
The Fiber Structure:
Wool fibers have scales—microscopic overlapping structures that create friction when fibers contact each other. This friction allows spinning—fibers cling together when twisted, forming yarn that holds together without requiring continuous twisting. It also allows felting—fibers mechanically interlock when agitated in hot water, creating dense mat.
For naalbinding, wool’s friction meant yarn remained stable in loop structure without requiring tight twisting. The loops could be relatively loose without opening spontaneously, creating fabric that was flexible, comfortable, warm.
The Lanolin:
Unwashed wool retained lanolin—natural oil produced by sheep that waterproofed fleece, protected against moisture. Naalbinding with minimally processed wool created garments that resisted water penetration—important for mittens (keeping hands dry in snow) and socks (preventing feet from becoming waterlogged).
The lanolin also made yarn pleasant to work with—smooth feel, not scratchy or irritating, hands didn’t dry out from prolonged contact with fiber.
The Preparation:
Wool was sheared, cleaned of obvious debris, but often not fully washed—maintaining lanolin content. It was carded—combed to align fibers, prepare for spinning—then spun loosely or used nearly unspun in some naalbinding techniques.
The spinning for naalbinding yarn didn’t require extreme tightness—the technique’s structure maintained fabric integrity without relying on highly twisted yarn. This reduced spinning labor, made fiber preparation faster, allowed producing naalbinding-quality yarn from materials that wouldn’t work for weaving where tighter twist was necessary.
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