High Strength Worsted Yarns：How It Became the New Favorite of the Textile Industry

1. What is High Strength Worsted Yarns?

• The Key Factors of Raw Materials:
  The fibers used in combed wool yarn are made of finer, longer and uniform high-quality wool as raw materials, which is one of the key factors that distinguishes it from other wool yarns. The characteristics of high-quality wool give the yarn an innate advantage. The finer fibers can make the yarn more delicate and soft to the touch; the longer fibers help to enhance the strength and stability of the yarn. When these high-quality wools are processed through a series of worsted spinning processes, high-strength combed wool yarns are born.
• The Core of Production Process - Combing Process:
  In the entire worsted spinning process, the combing process is particularly important. The combing process is like a strict screening process to remove short fibers and impurities that do not meet the requirements.
  • In the pretreatment stage of raw wool, impurities, cotton seeds, etc. are first removed to ensure the cleanliness of the fibers;
  • Then the fibers are preliminarily combed by carding (combing) to make them roughly straight;
  • Then enter the combing stage, and use a combing machine to completely remove short fibers (usually <1 cm) and residual impurities, leaving only long and neat fibers;
  • Finally, the combed fibers are processed by drawing and finally spun into uniform high-strength yarn.
• The Distinctions from Ordinary Wool Yarn:
  Compared with ordinary wool yarn, High Strength Worsted Yarns have obvious differences in many aspects. In the production process of ordinary wool yarn, the screening and combing of fibers are not as strict as those of combed wool yarn, so the fiber thickness of ordinary wool yarn may not be uniform, the short fiber content is relatively high, and there are more impurities. This results in the fact that ordinary wool yarn is far inferior to high-strength combed wool yarn in strength, and fabrics woven from ordinary wool yarn are prone to deformation and pilling. Fabrics made from high-strength combed wool yarn are more durable, have a high surface finish, are not easy to pilling, and have a delicate touch. For example, the quality and texture of worsted wool fabrics such as gabardine, valence, and palisade woven from high-strength combed wool yarn are far superior to similar products made from ordinary wool yarn.

2. What are the characteristics of High Strength Worsted Yarns?

(I) Physical properties

• Strength:
  The strength of High Strength Worsted Yarns is one of its most prominent physical properties. In the textile industry standards, the breaking strength of combed wool yarn is clearly stipulated, which should generally not be less than 28cN/tex. This value means that the yarn can withstand a large load without breaking when stretched by external force. High-strength combed wool yarn can have such high strength mainly due to its high-quality raw materials and special processing technology. High-quality wool fiber itself has high strength, and the combing process removes short fibers and impurities, making the fiber arrangement more compact and neat, greatly enhancing the overall strength of the yarn. In the production of some high-end suit fabrics, the use of high-strength combed wool yarn as raw material can ensure that the fabric is not easily damaged during daily wear and activities and is durable.
• Abrasion resistance:
  The wear resistance of this yarn is also excellent. Because the fibers are closely arranged and the yarn surface is relatively smooth, it is not easy to produce pilling and other phenomena when rubbing against other objects, which can effectively extend the service life of the fabric. Relevant studies have shown that the wear resistance of high-strength combed wool yarn is more than 30% higher than that of ordinary wool yarn. In practical applications, if high-strength combed wool yarn is used to make some fabrics such as work clothes and sofa covers that often rub against external objects, their wear resistance can be significantly improved, damage caused by friction can be reduced, replacement frequency can be reduced, and costs can be saved.
• Stretching degree:
  In terms of tensile properties, high-strength combed wool yarn has good elongation at break, which can usually reach a certain percentage. This allows the yarn to deform to a certain extent without breaking when subjected to tensile force, showing good flexibility and toughness. In the production of knitted products, the yarn needs to withstand a certain tensile force during the weaving process. The good stretching degree of high-strength combed wool yarn can ensure the smooth progress of the weaving process, while giving the knitted fabric good elasticity and comfort. Moreover, its stretch recovery performance is also good. When the external force is removed, it can basically return to its original length. This feature makes the fabric made of it not easy to deform during wearing.
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(II) Chemical properties

• Chemical stability:
  High Strength Worsted Yarns have good chemical stability. The chemical structure of wool fiber itself is relatively stable, and it is not easy to react chemically with other chemicals under general chemical conditions. Under normal washing and storage conditions, the color, strength and other properties of the yarn will not be significantly affected by chemical reactions. This allows clothing made of high-strength combed yarn to be washed in a variety of conventional ways, and consumers do not need to worry about the yarn being damaged by chemicals during the washing process, which greatly improves the practicality and durability of the product.
• Corrosion resistance:
  For some common chemical reagents, high-strength combed yarn shows a certain corrosion resistance. Although wool fiber is essentially a protein fiber and may be damaged in extreme chemical environments such as strong acids and alkalis, it can remain relatively stable and not easily corroded in weak acids, weak alkalis, and some chemical additives encountered in daily life and general industrial production. For example, in the printing and dyeing process of textiles, yarns will come into contact with various dyes and auxiliaries. High-strength combed yarn, with its corrosion resistance, can still maintain its own structure and performance integrity under the action of these chemicals, ensuring that the printed and dyed fabrics are bright in color and stable in quality.

3. The manufacturing process of High Strength Worsted Yarns is revealed

(I) Raw material selection

• The Strict Selection of Wool:
  The selection of raw materials is the first key link in the manufacture of high-strength combed wool yarn. Among the many fiber raw materials, wool is the main choice, especially high-quality fine wool. Merino wool, like Australia, is an ideal choice for the manufacture of high-strength combed wool yarn because of its slender, soft and high-strength fibers. The average diameter of this wool is usually between 19 and 21 microns, and the fiber length is generally around 60-100 mm, which can meet the strict requirements of high-strength combed wool yarn for raw material fineness and length.
• The Scientific Blending of Chemical Fibers:
  In addition to wool, chemical fibers also account for a certain proportion of the raw materials of high-strength combed wool yarn. For example, polyester fiber is often used in blending with wool due to its advantages such as high strength, wear resistance and wrinkle resistance. When blending, it is necessary to accurately control the proportion of chemical fiber added according to the specific needs of the product. If it is used to produce industrial textiles with extremely high requirements for wear resistance, the proportion of polyester fiber may be appropriately increased; if it is used to produce high-end clothing fabrics, in order to ensure good hand feel and wearing comfort, the content of chemical fiber will be relatively reduced, so that wool will occupy a dominant position in the blended raw materials.
• The Strict Quality Inspection:
  In actual production, wool of different varieties and origins, as well as different types of chemical fibers, have different properties. Therefore, textile companies need to conduct strict quality inspection and screening of various raw materials. The inspection items include fiber fineness, length, strength, curl, color and other indicators. Through these tests, it is ensured that the selected raw materials meet the production standards of high-strength combed wool yarn, laying a solid foundation for subsequent production processes.

(II) Combing and combing

• The Key Role of Combing Process:
  The combing and combing process is a key step to improve fiber quality and neatness. In the combing stage, the wool fibers that have been preliminarily treated are mainly combed with a combing machine. The working principle of the combing machine is to use various different specifications of card clothing to carefully comb the wool fibers, comb the entangled fibers into single fiber states, and remove impurities and short fibers from them. The combing process of the carding machine is divided into multiple stages, including pre-combing, main combing and final combing.
  • In the pre-combing stage, the wool fibers are preliminarily combed with relatively coarse card cloth to untangle the fibers;
  • In the main combing stage, finer card cloth is used to further comb the fibers to make them straighter;
  • In the final combing stage, the fibers are finally combed and sorted to ensure that the combing effect of the fibers reaches the best state.
• The Precision Control of Combing Process:
  Although the wool fibers after combing have been preliminarily combed into single fiber states, they still contain a certain amount of short fibers and impurities, which requires further processing in the combing process. The combing process uses a combing machine to comb and screen the fibers more finely through key components such as the cylinder and top comb. When the combing machine is working, the combing needles on the cylinder will comb the fibers to remove short fibers and impurities; the top comb further combs the fibers to make the fibers more neat and parallel. During the combing process, various process parameters need to be strictly controlled, such as combing distance, cotton drop distance, cylinder positioning, etc.
  • If the combing distance is too small, it may cause fiber damage; if it is too large, it will affect the combing effect and fail to effectively remove short fibers and impurities.
  • The size of the cotton drop distance directly affects the combing cotton drop rate and combing quality, and needs to be reasonably adjusted according to the spinning line density and quality requirements.
  • The positioning of the cylinder affects the movement coordination between the cylinder and the nipper and the separation roller, and plays an important role in the combing effect and the separation and joining of the fibers.
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(III) Spinning process

• Ring Spinning - The Mainstream Choice for High Quality:
  The spinning process is the key link in spinning the combed and combed fibers into yarns. Different spinning methods have a significant impact on the quality of the yarn. Ring spinning is one of the most widely used spinning methods. In the ring spinning process, the fiber strips are stretched and thinned by the drafting device, and then twisted by the high-speed rotation of the wire ring on the steel collar, and finally wound into yarn. The advantages of ring spinning are that the yarn structure is compact, the strength is high, and the hairiness is relatively small. It is suitable for the production of various high-quality textiles, such as high-end clothing fabrics, home textile products, etc. When producing high-strength combed wool yarn, ring spinning can give full play to its advantages and make the strength and uniformity of the yarn reach a high level.
• Air-jet Spinning - The Innovation with Efficiency:
  Air-jet spinning is a new type of spinning method with a different working principle from ring spinning. Air-jet spinning uses a combing roller to comb the fiber strips into single fibers, and then uses air flow to transport the fibers to the spinning rotor, and twists them into yarn under the high-speed rotation of the spinning rotor. The characteristics of air-jet spinning are fast spinning speed and high production efficiency, which is suitable for the production of medium and low count yarns. However, compared with ring spinning, the yarn structure of air-jet spinning is relatively loose, the strength is slightly lower, and the hairiness is more. When producing high-strength combed wool yarn, air-jet spinning is generally rarely used alone. Instead, it will be combined with other spinning methods according to the special needs of the product to give full play to the advantages of various spinning methods.
• The Diverse Choices of Spinning Methods:
  In addition to ring spinning and air-jet spinning, there are other spinning methods such as air-jet spinning and vortex spinning. They each have unique spinning mechanisms and characteristics, and they also have certain applications in the production of high-strength combed wool yarn. Textile enterprises will comprehensively select appropriate spinning methods based on product quality requirements, production efficiency and cost factors to ensure that the high-strength combed wool yarn produced meets market demand.

(IV) Post-processing process

• Twisting - The Key to Yarn Performance Optimization:
  The post-processing process is an important link to improve the performance of High Strength Worsted Yarns, mainly including twisting, steaming and other processing processes. Twisting is one of the key steps in the post-processing process, which has an important impact on the strength, elasticity, feel and other properties of the yarn. Through twisting, the fibers in the yarn are entangled with each other, increasing the friction and cohesion between the fibers, thereby improving the strength of the yarn. However, the higher the degree of twisting, the better. When the twist exceeds a certain value, the strength of the yarn will decrease, and the feel will become harder and the elasticity will decrease. In actual production, it is necessary to reasonably control the degree of twisting according to the purpose and quality requirements of the yarn. For warp yarn, due to the need to withstand greater tension, the twist is usually appropriately increased to increase its strength; while weft yarn and knitting yarn pay more attention to softness and comfort, and the twist will be relatively small.
• Steaming - The Secret to Yarn Performance Enhancement:
  Steaming is also an indispensable part of the post-processing process. Yarn steaming is to steam and moisten the yarn with saturated steam. The purpose is to improve the breaking strength and breaking elongation of the yarn, reduce the yarn hairiness, maintain a uniform friction coefficient of cotton yarn, reduce the unwinding tension, stabilize the yarn twist, and thus improve the overall performance of the yarn. During the yarn steaming process, parameters such as steam temperature, pressure and treatment time need to be strictly controlled. For pure wool yarn, the recommended yarn steaming temperature is generally between 78 and 80 degrees Celsius, and the treatment time depends on the variety and specifications of the yarn, usually around 30 to 60 minutes. If the yarn steaming temperature is too high or the time is too long, the wool fiber may be damaged and the quality of the yarn may be affected; if the temperature is too low or the time is too short, the expected yarn steaming effect cannot be achieved.
• The Comprehensive Enhancement of Post-treatment:
  In addition to twisting and yarn steaming, the post-treatment process may also include sizing, softening and other links. These links work together to enable high-strength combed wool yarn to achieve ideal performance indicators and meet the needs of use in different fields.

IV. What are the application fields of High Strength Worsted Yarns?

(I) High-end clothing manufacturing

(II) Functional textiles

(III) Industrial Uses