I have talked quite a bit about yarns in weaving recently, but now I would like to get a little more into the specifics of individual yarns. Superwash wool yarn is a somewhat controversial yarn for fibre artists. In this article, I’m going to attempt to outline what superwash woollen yarn is in a factual manner.
I contacted my local, much loved woollen mills (Bendigo Woollen Mills) where I buy a lot of knitting yarn to use in my weaving projects. They were very helpful in explaining how their superwash yarns are treated and in pointing me towards further information to aid my own research. Interestingly, they said that although they offer both treated and untreated yarns, due to customer demand, 80% of their yarns are superwash.
I want to start by pointing out that I think it is very important for each weaver to decide whether they want to use a particular yarn or not, based on their own personal preferences. I have a huge number of students from all over the world and all different backgrounds. I pass no judgement on a weaver’s personal choice and I do not support yarn shaming in any shape or form.
If you’re in the beginner phase, and your head is swimming with confusion in regards to yarn choices, I have some helpful and free resources for you. You can begin by eliminating possibly troublesome yarns, at least for your first few projects, by reading 3 Yarns Beginner Weavers should Never Use! Then move on to the in depth Choosing and Using Yarns in Weaving.
If you’re really baffled about yarn sizes, I have two other resources that will really help you out. The Weaver’s Toolkit is an e-booklet that provides you with yarn conversion charts, recommended heddle sizes and a bunch of other quick reference information. I also have a short class What Do All the Numbers Mean? that will take your through an explanation of what all those numbers on your weaving yarn cone mean and various measuring systems that are industry standards.
Alright, let’s have this superwash discussion.
When you purchase woollen (usually a knitting yarn), if you read the care label instructions, it will either say “hand wash” or “machine washable”. This is how you know whether it’s a superwash yarn or not – machine washable means that it is superwash. And that means that the yarn is treated. Let’s investigate the treatment process further and why the wool is treated in the first place.
We all know that wool is quite hairy and clingy. Woollen yarn just loves to grab onto itself – the surface is scaly and these scales want to be joined as one! This is accentuated in the washing process. If you wash a non superwash wool yarn in hot, soapy water and create some friction, you will end up with felted fabric.
The superwash process removes these outer scales of the yarn with chemicals. The yarn is then coated with a synthetic coating (Hercosett is the industry standard) which smooths the exterior of the yarn. Because the scales are no longer present to interlock with one another, and the additional synthetic coating has been used, it becomes impossible for the yarn to felt in the washing process. It also means that, under the right conditions, a finished woollen piece can be washed in a washing machine (always follow care instructions for temperature specifics and correct steps). The superwash process generally leaves a yarn with a soft, smooth feel.
So, what is all the controversy about? There are a few main issues that some people have with superwash wool.
- Environmental impact
- Is the treated product still “natural?”
- Economic impact
*I need to put in a disclaimer here. This information has been collated from my own internet research. I have tried to only include facts without opinions. Some of the things I’m going to mention here are difficult to talk about with a lot of accuracy as it may not be measurable and also I only have access to information I can find on the internet. If, for example, I mention potentially toxic waste water, I have no way of quantifying what level of toxicity or if the toxicity is actually present. I don’t work in the industry, I don’t have inside information. The intention of this article is just to share information so that weavers can make informed choices when purchasing yarn and do some further research if it’s a concern for you.
Environmental impact:
The superwash process uses large amounts of water. In addition to the quantity of water used, some consumers are concerned that the waste water leaving the yarn processing plants could be toxic.
Then there are the chemicals themselves. Hercosett is a polyamide-epichlorohydrin polymer and some argue that it is a highly dangerous substance, while other sources will state that the chemicals used to create the polymer are toxic, but this doesn’t mean that the end product (the polymer itself) going through the correct chemical process is not safe.
Is the end product still natural?
The end product, in its basic form, is a woollen yarn that has a very fine exterior coating of polymer. As polymers are a type of plastic, some will argue that the yarn itself, following superwash treatment is now a plastic product and no longer natural. I have also seen some insistence that this type of polymer is not a type of plastic. You begin to see what I mean about conflicting information and opinions!
Others will hold the view that the product is still very much wool, it just has an artificial coating that is not actual detectable. This could be seen in the same light as many commercially available textiles in which “sizing” is used. This involves the application of resins (these can come from various sources, including petroleum) to fabric or clothing prior to retailing. Sizing is used to make clothes or fabric hold their shape and look good prior to purchase. This may be a poor example on my part though, because as far as I know, the sizing can be removed when you wash the fabric or clothing prior to use.
Economic impact:
Many woollen yarns are processed off shore for superwash processing. The country of choice in which to have yarn processed is often China as it is cheaper for businesses to send they yarn, have it processed, then have it sent back again. Many countries just don’t have the facilities for this type of processing.
I know that I’ve only covered the basics in this article, and given the differing information and opinions on the use of superwash wool, I’m going to provide a varied list of links from other people’s websites here in case you want to do some further research of your own:
Superwash and its alternatives
What’s Wrong with Washable Wool
The Truth about Superwash Wool
In Support of our Australian Wool Industry
Is Superwash Yarn Environmentally Sustainable
And of course, if you want to find even more information, then google is your friend.
Thank you for joining me today! I invite comments on this topic, but as it can be a sensitive one, I ask you to keep it a respectful and helpful discussion. Thank you for keeping this a happy and informative space 😊
Until next time…
Happy Weaving!
So I cannot felt and shrink superwashed roving? I love to use the fisherman wool and make felted hats as they are so much warmer. I was hoping I could do this with the buttercream Luxe Craft Roving. There are so many pretty colors and it looks like wool that has not been superwashed.
No, super wash yarn generally will not felt, at least not in the same way that non superwash will. It’s a bit confusing about the Luxe roving, as some listings say “hand wash” and others say “machine washable”. I would just double check with whoever you are buying it from.
Well that was an eye-opener! I mainly use cotton, which has it’s own problems but don’t get me started, and have not yet used superwash wool, or given it much thought for that matter. I appreciate you writing this article and also the comments from those who have used natural wool and those who have tried the superwash. I guess this goes to show that we really should not just take things at face value, it is a good idea to find out the story behind the things we use, not just yarn, but all products. We are still free to make our own choices, but we can make informed choices. Thank you Kelly, another very useful piece of knowledge to file away for future reference.
Kelly, thank you! I have been stuck in the ‘rabbit hole’ of research quite a few times, it can be quite overwhelming. You did an excellent job laying out the facts, insofar as they could be determined. Anyway, I had no idea Superwashed yarn was an issue, let alone, why! So thanks again for taking the time to help us make an informed decision. I had absolutely no idea yarn could be controversial. 💚
Oh yes, yarn can be very controversial, more so in the knitting world than in weaving.
Lovely article, attention though that polymers are NOT plastic. Polymers is something with large molecules that repeat in structure. These can be natural like wool, silk, cotton, polyamide, or man made like polystyrene or polyester. Plastic is composed of polymers but polymers aren’t plastic 😉
Which polymers are used and treatment made will depend on the country/area it’s produced on. EU has very strict rules (especially in the treatment to the water after the process). The wool supplier I use Chester gets their SW treatment from UK or Europe (if you’d like to check their info https://www.chesterwool.com/about-our-yarns)
Thank you for your articles and tutorials x
Thank you Diana,
As I said, there is so much conflicting information. I have read some articles insisting that a superwash yarn is a plastic product and others that, like you, say that polymers are not plastic. Some say superwash wool is biodegradable, others say it’s not. Actually, I would like to ask my woollen mill if there is any difference in biodegradability between superwash and non superwash.
Thanks for doing the research and sharing the information in such an easily digestible way! I had no idea that super wash wool was treated. I just assumed it had already been washed, so it wouldn’t shrink or felt. Boy am I naïve! I’m glad I’ve saved all of the labels from my yarn purchases. Now I’ll be reading them with a different perspective. Thanks Kelly!
It just goes to show, you don’t know what you don’t know 😄
I agree with your comment, Karen. I too have been naive thinking the yarn had been previously washed without thinking there were chemicals involved. Thanks Kelly for the research and sharing the information.
Thank you very much for another informative article. I very much appreciate the time and research you have put into this piece. I will think twice on what choices I make In the future when weaving with wool.
Thanks for this Kelly. I used some superwash by mistake in one of my first weaving projects, and was disappointed with the outcome – I used too loose a sett, and being superwash it didn’t bloom :(. Put me right off. I never thought of all the other side effects of superwash, and I’m ashamed because I consider myself very environmentally aware. So thank you for the information and the links!
My comment is very biased as I raised a small flock of sheep for over 25 years and I love wool! I’ve washed many a fleece over the years, dyed naturally and with commercial dyes, and spun many a skein. I enjoy the feel of spinning, knitting, crocheting or weaving with wool. I’ve never used or purchased super wash wool, and I don’t plan to. I am fortunate to have a stash of wool in many forms to last me a life time.
My experience with wool, not treated for super wash, is it’s so very easy to wash, and dries fairly quickly. Yes, it’s not as easy as throwing it in the washing machine, unless you want a felted product (which I have done), but it’s not hard to wash a wool garment by hand. I wash all my wool, fleeces, or skeins, in hot water. As long as the temperature of the water between washing and rinsing does not change drastically, and there is little movement of the fiber, it’s easy to wash.
I have read that super wash wool does not hold up as well as wool that has not been treated. But I have no experience with that.
Very interesting Christine, thank you for sharing your experience 😊
Very informative article, thank you for this information. I have used super wash wool one time to make a grandson a hood. I used it specifically because it would wash well and my daughter woukd not have to use “special washing techniques “. That said, it did hold up well, but I did not enjoy working with it. I much prefer using wool and giving washing instructions to the recipient. I am ashamed to say that I never thought about the super wash process and the environmental effect. I prefer to use all natural fibers in both my knitting and my weaving, so again, thank you for the information.
Hi Kelly
Thanks for such an interesting article, I didn’t know about superwash before and I have certainly had my share of yarn disasters over the years. I tend to use any yarn that takes my fancy and have had great success with Bendigo yarns. Very much appreciate you spending the time to keep us informed.
Kind regards
We are so lucky to have Bendigo Mills in Australia, they are fantastic!
Kelly , thanks for such a well-written, well-thought-out article. Makes me feel better about knowing why and when to use super-wash wool.
You’re welcome Martha, thank you for reading!