How can I tell if it's wool?

[meant2beamom]

I was given a fall/winter coat today - i think it's wool. however, it was made in korea, and the tag is in korean. whatever it is, it's 100%!

do you have any tips for me to find out if it is wool? if it is, it's a very soft wool, but it has a bit of roughness to it. ack - i know i'm not explaining it well. :

TIA,
barb

[capemom]

I've heard people talk about a burn test - not sure how that works... Maybe others can tell you more.

What I have done to test if something is wool is to take a small piece of it and soak it in a cup of bleach overnight. Wool dissolves in bleach, so if the fabric is gone in the morning, you know it is 100% wool. If there's a little left, you have a blend.

[meant2beamom]

Thanks, I didn't know that! I don't have any bleach in the house, though. I don't keep any toxic chemicals in the house.

I've been thinking, though - I think it is wool - it feels exactly like a wool cape/jacket I have. And the label stated that what was ever in it was 100%.

It'll make a good needlefelting base, anyway. I hear you can nf anything - even synthetics.

Thanks,
Barb

[Kari_mom]

I like the burn test for wool, immediate gratification! Light a piece of the jacket, if it smells like burning hair and the flame goes out by itself, it is wool.

You could also use an online translator to figure out the label.

[meant2beamom]

Okay, maybe I'll try that (the burning). With the Korean, I wouldn't know where to look and how to read the symbols at all.

[Kari_mom]

With the Korean, I wouldn't know where to look and how to read the symbols at all.

Me either, but you know it is on the internet somewhere!

[meant2beamom]

Yep!
Isn't the internet great?

[HeavenLeighGrace]

I second the burn test!

[HeavenLeighGrace]

oops double post!

[HerthElde]

So did you do the burn test?

[splendid]

If you want to try a translator you can try the one at dictionary.comandtype in wool in english and see if the words match up. Mind you that may be oversimplifying the translation.

[HerthElde]

:

[cyclamen]

*delurk*

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/cyclamen/wool.jpg

Does it look like one of those? The second one may have more syllables appended at the end, but that is the root.

On the other hand...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20.../synthetic.jpg

*lurk*

[meant2beamom]

Originally Posted by cyclamen

*delurk*

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y208/cyclamen/wool.jpg

Does it look like one of those? The second one may have more syllables appended at the end, but that is the root.

On the other hand...

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y20.../synthetic.jpg

*lurk*

Hmmm, the first 100% has that goblet-looking sign, with two other characters in front of it (maybe behind it in Korean?). The second 100% has many more characters, the first (last? ) of which looks similar to the first (last) character in the acrylic list, but it has what looks like a laying down backwards L.

Guess I should go try to translate it online while I have it in my hands.

Thanks!!!
Barb

[meant2beamom]

Well, I've determined that it's some kind of wool, with some kind of polyester lining. There are other characters there that I can't figure out, but I *did*see both WOOL and POLYESTER (I didn't think that lining was silk, but it would've been nice!).

Barb

[pookel]

My version of a wool test is to touch it, stick my finger in my eye, and wait a minute to see if the horrible itching has started.

[meant2beamom]