What is superwash wool?

Wool yarn is nature's own miracle material: warm, breathable, self-cleaning, and completely renewable. But when browsing yarn selections, the word superwash often comes up. What does superwash treatment mean in wool yarns - and why do some yarn lovers avoid it?

Here's a little dive into the world of superwash treatment 🧡

Superwash treatment is a chemical process that modifies the surface of wool to prevent the yarn from felting during washing. Naturally, the surface of wool fibers has small scales that interlock when exposed to moisture and heat – this is what causes felting.

In the superwash process, these scales are either removed by abrasion or coated with a thin plastic layer (usually through chlorine treatment and resin).

The result is a softer, smoother, and machine-washable yarn that withstands repeated washing well and feels comfortable against the skin for many.

🌍 What about the downsides?

While superwash makes wool easy to care for, it is not without its problems.

• Chlorine treatment and plastic coatings burden the environment.
• The treatment weakens wool's natural properties, such as its ability to regulate temperature and self-clean.
• Superwash yarn is no longer fully biodegradable, as the coating does not decompose naturally.

That's why many crafters and environmentally conscious manufacturers prefer untreated wool, whose beauty lies in its naturalness.

When can superwash be beneficial?

Everything has its pros and cons. Superwash yarn is an excellent choice for example:

• For families with children, when wanting to machine wash wool products without the risk of felting.
• For sock yarns that are subject to heavy wear.
• For knitters who want a carefree approach to caring for wool in their knitwear.

The most important thing is to understand and know the difference - and to make an informed choice based on what is most suitable for your own use.

💚 MaallinenDesign's philosophy on wool

For me at MaallinenDesign, wool is a material I want to respect as it is. Natural, vibrant, and gentle. That's why I favor untreated and responsibly produced wool yarns that retain all of wool's best qualities - and stand the test of time.