Fashion – Enter Wales: Novelle Yarn Desk Top Research – Testing & Quality #7

This has been a major week (7th April 2022) for the development of the Novelle Yarn feasibility study with SMARTCryum and Potter Group. 

We are now at point of collecting bales of Welsh wool, shredding the four grades of wool using the technology from the Potter Group and then sending the wool to Leeds University to test the quality. 

Our grateful thanks to Philip Keenan consultant on this program, along with professor Stephen Russel (Leeds University) and Dr Susan Rainton (Leeds University). 

Philip has devised the following Novel Yarn Experimental Plan: 

Goals: To develop proof of concept of Novel Yarn, creating a fabric using a combination of Welsh wool and recycled staple. 

Approach: Spin several yarn configurations, test them for mechanical integrity, and, if within a workable strength range, weave them into novel yarn test swatches for minimum viable product proof of concept samples.

A. Experimental Yarn Production.

Spin the following yarns.

1.Welsh wool yarn

Staple: Virgin Welsh wool 

2.Recycled fibre yarn

Staple: Unsorted, mixed staple (without sorting)

3. Wool/Recycled Fibre blend yarn

Staple: Blend of 1 and 2.

4. Control 

 English wool yarn.

Where possible spin above yarns so that they have comparable weight / unit length.

B. Testing:

Measure weight/unit length of spun yarn samples.

Measure tensile strength of each test yarn and compare to control. Measure several samples and record all values.

C. Experimental Weave

5. Recycled fibre yarn and Welsh wool yarn.

Use strongest yarn determined from testing (B) in the warp direction.

6. Recycled fibre + Welsh wool blended yarn.

Use this yarn in both warp and weft directions.

D. Evaluation

Evaluation plan TBD developed by fabric experts.

The Fashion-Enter team and Potter Group are looking forward to the outcome of this testing program. The fashion and textile industry is pushing towards circular business models and this novel yarn project combines a sustainable, circular concept with traditional Welsh quality. The spinning and weaving of Welsh wool dates back to prehistoric times and during the industrial era it became the country’s most important industry, regarded for its high quality. The novelle yarn program hopes to combine this rich heritage with recycling and sustainability to develop a high quality textile with an extensive future.

Further updates and desktop research with SMARTCryum and Potter Group to follow soon!