What is Superwash Yarn
If you have been fiber crafting for any amount of time you have probably come across the term superwash yarn, but what exactly is superwash yarn, and is it for me?
What is Superwash Yarn?
The shaft of wool fiber is covered in tiny scales. Friction, heat, or rapid temperature changes can cause the scales to open and rub together. Felting occurs when these scales start to cling and stick together. Superwash treatment is a chemical process applied to wool fibers that makes them more resistant to shrinking and felting. This allows the fibers to be subjected to high heat and agitation with limited detriment to the condition of the wool. This is especially important in the clothing industry due to the high demand for garments that are machine washable.
Superwash yarn is softer and smoother than natural wool with added shine and drape, but a consequence of the superwash process means that the fibers lose some of their elasticity and memory. This may cause your finished objects to stretch over time. This is not an issue for accessories like shawls and scarves but may affect the sizing of fitted garments such as sweaters. We always recommend wet blocking a gage swatch to get an idea of how much your project will grow once finished.
SEM micrographs of untreated (top), chlorinated (middle) and chlorine-Hercosett treated (bottom) wool fibers. From “A Review of the Sustainable Methods in Imparting Shrink Resistance to Wool Fabrics by Mohammad M. Hassana and Christopher M. Carrb Journal of Advanced Research, 2019.
Benefits of Superwash Yarn
Superwash yarn is a great option for easy care knits such as hats, mittens, socks, warm weather garments, and baby blankets that are more likely to end up in the wash. Although this yarn treatment was developed with the intention of creating a machine washable wool fiber, we recommend hand washing your knit or crocheted garments to maximize the life span of your work and to ensure that your projects stay in the best possible condition.
Another benefit of superwash yarn is the yarn’s ability to take dye exceptionally well. Hello gorgeous vibrant speckles and stunningly bold tonals! Superwash yarns require less heat and water compared to dying standard wool and since they are more resistant to quick temperature changes, the dying process is much faster and uses significantly less heat time and electricity. This results in a dye process that demands much less of our precious fossil fuel resources helping to offset the environmental impact of the superwashing process.
Hold on Tight hand dyed on The Meg, a superwash treated merino wool yarn.
What is the Environmental Impact of Megs & Co Superwash Treated Yarn?
The mill that we source our superwash yarns from utilize a low impact two-step chemical process. The wool is first treated in chlorine (bleach) to dull the edges of the scales along the shaft of the wool fiber reducing the ability of the scales to stick to each other. Secondly, a micro-fine resin is coated onto the shaft of the fiber creating a microscopic web-like structure that is permanently bonded to the wool. This smooths the scales, making them slippery, soft, and shiny while further preventing felting. This synthetic resin is biodegradable in both composting and marine environments and naturally breaks down over the usable life of the wool.
Our superwash yarn is processed in two locations depending on the source of the wool. Our Bluefaced Leicester wool is processed in Europe and our Merino wool is processed in South America. Both regions have extremely strict laws regulating effluent (contamination) in waster water. Our European mill is accredited with the EU Flower and OEKO-TEX 100 and runs a state-of-the-art effluent treatment plant. As a result, the wastewater is recycled, and water discharged from our plant is rated cleaner than tap water.
The superwash process was first invented in the 1980s and has since come a long way from its original “dirty” origins. Unfortunately, not all superwash yarn is created equally as treatment processing methods can vary especially in regions with poor regulatory control over pollution and wastewater treatment. The production of superwash yarn in China is especially known to be major source of land and water contamination.
We are very particular about where our superwash wool is treated. None of our yarn is sourced from China and we continue to challenge our suppliers to ensure that they are utilizing the most advanced scientific and sustainable practices to ensure we continue to reduce our environmental impact.
Our Superwash Yarns
Superwash yarn is our absolute favorite yarn to dye since it takes the dye so incredibly well. This allows us to create those gorgeously speckled colorways that are just so addictive to look at and especially to knit and crochet with. The heat resistant nature of this yarn also means that we can take our time to layer colors creating colorways with complexity and dimension that can only be achieved on hand dyed superwash yarn.
Illumination
The Bulk of It
Nutmegged on Megs & Co Classic Sock