Experimental Development and Functional Evaluation of Woven Fabrics from Estonian Breed-Specific Wool

This study investigates whether coarse, locally produced Estonian sheep wool – typically undervalued and underutilized – can be transformed into chemically untreated, mono‑material woven outer‑shell fabrics, thereby contributing to the broader agenda of unconventional and economically viable wool applications. Importantly, the wool was sourced and processed under real-world conditions, where sheep are primarily raised for meat production and where regulated wool collection, sorting and scouring systems are largely absent. Breed‑specific yarns from Estonian Whitehead (EV), Estonian Blackhead (ET), and Kihnu Native sheep (KM) were woven into plain and twill constructions and subjected to controlled fulling. The resulting fabrics were evaluated for air permeability, water resistance, abrasion and pilling behavior, elastic extension, thermal resistance, and dimensional stability. The findings demonstrate that weave geometry and breed characteristics interact to determine performance: twills show lower air permeability and higher water resistance, while plain-weave fabrics provide better ventilation and stability; KM forms compact wind‑resistant fabrics, ET exhibits favorable elasticity for active layers, and EV ensures dimensional predictability. Abrasion resistance was moderate to high. These results show that local coarse wool can be used for performance‑oriented woven materials and support the economic valorization of wool from non-optimized production systems into higher‑value applications.