WOOL by the International Year of Natural Fibers -ONU

What is it?

What is it?

Sheep were among the first animals to be domesticated, and the first textiles were probably woven from their fleece. Today wool is still the world's leading animal natural fibre: its complex protein structure is responsible for unique characteristics and properties ?such as exceptional resilience and elasticity - that synthetic fibres just cannot match. Wool varies from super fine Merino fibre similar to cashmere, to very coarse hairy wools. The diameter of the fibre determines its final use and value - some 37 percent of world production is classed as fine wools, 22 percent as medium wools, and 41 percent as coarse wools. Two thirds of the wool harvest is used in the manufacture of garments, and about one third in carpets, upholstery and rugs. Industrial uses of wool - such as in insulation - accounts for about 5 percent of the total.

Who produces it?

Wool is produced in about 100 countries from a global flock of more than one billion head of sheep. Major producers are Australia, Argentina, China, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, United Kingdom and Uruguay. Depending on the country and region, wool producers range from small farmers to large scale commercial grazing operations.

Lietus

How is it produced?

Sheep are usually shorn once a year in the spring/summer months, although in some countries shearing may take place as many as three times a year. Where production systems are advanced, the wool is rigorously tested to determine properties and different grades are packed separately. The second step in the production chain is so-called "early" processing, in which the wool is scoured to remove grease and dirt, then carded and combed. The semi-processed wool is then spun into yarn for use in fabrics, knitted garments or hand-knitting wool.

How much is produced?

FAO estimates annual wool production at around 2.1 million tonnes a year. Australia produces one fifth of that total, while China, New Zealand, Iran, Argentina and the UK each produced more than 50 000 tonnes in 2005. Exports of greasy plus scoured wool amount to around 800 000 tonnes annually. Like cotton, much of this is imported by processing countries for manufacture and subsequent re-export.

What are the prospects for wool?

Being a luxury fibre, demand for wool is sensitive to economic trends. The current global economic slowdown is expected to affect wool negatively, particularly by reducing demand in China, the world's biggest wool market. Also, falling oil prices may reduce the cost of synthetic fibres. To compete with synthetics, the wool industry continues to invest in new technologies which have made wool more attractive to consumers (e.g. crease resistance and washability) and given it a wider range of uses, such as "active sportswear".

www.naturalfibres2009.org/en/fibres/wool.html

www.iwto.org

15 Natural Fibers - Inernational Year of Natural Fibers - Onu

Natural fibres are greatly elongated substances produced by plants and animals that can be spun into filaments, thread or rope. Woven, knitted, matted or bonded, they form fabrics that are essential to society.

Like agriculture, textiles have been a fundamental part of human life since the dawn of civilization. Fragments of cotton articles dated from 5000 BC have been excavated in Mexico and Pakistan. According to Chinese tradition, the history of silk begins in the 27th century BC. The oldest wool textile, found in Denmark, dates from 1500 BC, and the oldest wool carpet, from Siberia, from 500 BC. Fibres such as jute and coir have been cultivated since antiquity.

While the methods used to make fabrics have changed greatly since then, their functions have changed very little: today, most natural fibres are still used to make clothing and containers and to insulate, soften and decorate our living spaces. Increasingly, however, traditional textiles are being used for industrial purposes as well as in components of composite materials, in medical implants, and geo- and agro-textiles.

In this section we present profiles of 15 of the world's major plant and animal fibres. They range from cotton, which dominates world fibre production, to other, specialty fibres such as cashmere which, though produced in far smaller quantities, have particular properties that place them in the luxury textiles market.

Plant fibres Plant fibres include seed hairs, such as cotton; stem (or bast) fibres, such as flax and hemp; leaf fibres, such as sisal; and husk fibres, such as coconut.

Animal fibres Animal fibres include wool, hair and secretions, such as silk.

Abaca - Once a favoured source of rope, abaca shows promise as an energy-saving replacement for glass fibres in automobiles Coir - A coarse, short fibre extracted from the outer shell of coconuts, coir is found in ropes, mattresses, brushes, geotextiles and automobile seats Cotton - Pure cellulose, cotton is the world's most widely used natural fibre and still the undisputed "king" of the global textiles industry Flax - One of nature's strongest vegetable fibres, flax was also one of the first to be harvested, spun and woven into textiles Hemp - Recent advances in the "cottonization" of hemp fibre could open the door to the high quality clothing market Jute - The strong threads made from jute fibre are used worldwide in sackcloth - and help sustain the livelihoods of millions of small farmers Ramie - Ramie fibre is white, with a silky lustre, and is one of the strongest natural fibres, similar to flax in absorbency and density Sisal - Too coarse for clothing and upholstery, sisal is replacing asbestos and fibreglass in many composite materials

Alpaca wool - Alpaca is used to make high-end luxury fabrics, with world production estimated at around 5 000 tonnes a year Angora wool - The silky white wool of the Angora rabbit is very fine and soft, and used in high quality knitwear Camel hair - The best fibre is found on the two-humped Bactrian camels of Inner Mongolia and Mongolia, and baby camel hair is the finest and softest Cashmere - Cashmere is exceptionally soft to the touch owing to the structure of its fibres and has great insulation properties without being bulky Mohair - White, very fine and silky, mohair is noted for its softness, brightness and receptiveness to rich dyes Silk - Developed in ancient China, where its use was reserved for royalty, silk remains the "queen of fabrics" Wool - Limited supply and exceptional characteristics have made wool the world's premier textile fibre

When is a fibre "natural"?

The International Year of Natural Fibres celebrates fibres produced by plants and animals. It does not include modern man-made artificial and synthetic fibres such as rayon, nylon, acrylic and polyester. Tree fibres are not covered by the International Year, but will be one focus of the International Year of Forests in 2011.

http://www.naturalfibres2009.org/en/fibres/index.html

International Year of Natural Fibers 2009 - ONU

Why are natural fibres important?

Some 30 million tonnes of natural fibres are produced annually. Natural fibres form an important component of clothing, upholstery and other textiles. Many of them also have industrial applications - in packaging, papermaking and in composite materials with many uses, including as parts in automobiles. In many developing countries, proceeds from the sale and export of natural fibres contribute significantly to the income and the food security of poor farmers and those working in fibre processing and marketing. For some developing countries, natural fibres are of major economic importance: for example, cotton in some West African countries, jute in Bangladesh and sisal in Tanzania. In other cases, fibres are of less significance at the national level but are of major local importance, as in the case of jute in West Bengal (India) and sisal in north-east Brazil.

Why an International Year of Natural Fibres?

Since the 1960s, the use of synthetic fibres has increased, and natural fibres have lost a lot of their market share. Producers and processors of natural fibres face the challenge of developing and maintaining markets in which they can compete effectively with synthetics. In some cases, this has involved defining and promoting market niches. In others, where their natural advantages allow them to compete effectively with synthetics, basic research and development is needed to facilitate the use of natural fibres in new applications.

The main goal of the International Year of Natural Fibres is to raise the profile of these fibres and to emphasise their value to consumers while helping to sustain the incomes of the farmers. In addition, the International Year will:

• promote the efficiency and sustainability of the natural fibres industries;
• encourage appropriate policy responses from governments to the problems faced by natural fibre industries;
• foster an effective and enduring international partnership among the various natural fibres industries.

Who decided that 2009 would be the International Year of Natural Fibres?

The idea came from a meeting of fibre producing and consuming countries in FAO. At the request of FAO, the declaration of 2009 as International Year of Natural Fibres was made by the General Assembly of the United Nations on 20 December 2006.

Who will coordinate the International Year?

There is a coordinating unit in FAO, but a great many other organizations and people will be involved. An International Steering Committee, with representatives from various fibre organisations, consumer bodies, and funding agencies, will meet from time to time to guide the programme. Most of the activities will be organized by IYNF partners, some at the international level, and many more within individual countries.

What will happen in 2009?

The programme of events is now filling out. One or more large international conferences will be held. There will be displays and fashion shows and many other events in many countries, run by a variety of different national organizations.

www.naturalfibres2009.org

European Felt Festival

European Felt Festival
Town centre of Felletin
FELLETIN (Creuse - FRANCE)
May 1st - 4th, 2009


The year 2009 has been declared «the International Year for Natural Fibres » by O.N.U, and the first Felt Festival will be held in Felletin, Creuse (France), from may 1st to may 4th 2009.

A real craze through Western Europe already, this will be the fisrt ever event of the kind in France. Born from cooperation between women felt-makers and the wool industry support committee, it will be the second wool event organized in Felletin. A local group of crafts designers are taking part in the development of the wool industry ans its skills, which involves felting quite naturally.

The felt festival wishes introduce the public to a large range of felt products and to its different uses in textile, art or industrial productions. Due to its varied and easy uses, felt is becoming very popular in creative leisure activities.

The professionnal side of this felt festival will be centred on training sessions and exhanges with other european networks of felt-makers.

“Felt in the House” Challenge (truncated)

Conditions of participation, Techniques and Theme: The challenge is open anyone: Feltmakers, Artists, Craftpeople, Designers using wool felt in their creations. Exhibitor will be selected for the quality of their work. All techniques are accepted. Every exhibitor can present a maximum of 2 works.

The theme of the challenge is: "Felt in the house, felt in all the rooms."
The exhibition will explore the varied use of felt in the house: Decoration, Design, Architecture, Home furnishing ...

http://fiberartcalls.blogspot.com/2009/03/european-felt-festival.html