The Sulphur and Cystine in Wool

Abstract

Artificial textile fibres have now attained such a high degree of perfection that the natural fibres are suffering considerably. This is especially so in the case of wool, which has for all time been the textile fibre par excellence. Synthetic fibres are produced under strict chemical control, so that their composition is definitely known; the chemical nature of cotton and flax is known also, whilst that of wool has been somewhat neglected. The reason is that whereas the other fibres require chemical processing, raw wool requires only washing in order to become immediately available for the manufacturing process; another reason is that keratin is a protein whose constitution still defies complete understanding. The manufacturer requires wool of a high quality, but is unaware of the difficulties in production. The producer of the raw material is in general likewise ignorant of the ultimate destination of subsequent use of the wool he places on the market. It is important, therefore, if wool is to retain its prestige as a textile fibre, that a knowledge of its chemical and physical attributes should be obtained and applied in production and in manufacture.