The new pure wool fabric, Neulana Double.

AUSTRALIAN Wool Innovation’s marketing arm, The Woolmark Company, unveiled the unique two-sided fabric Neulana Double at the recent Première Vision textile and fashion trade event in France.

The latest innovation called Neulana Double is a 100 percent wool fabric with two very different surfaces, with one face is smooth like a traditional outer-shell, while the other side is soft, bulky and brushed.

The Woolmark Company said the innovative double weave fabric provides maximum insulation, whilst minimising fabric weight and retaining all of Merino wool’s natural properties such as breathability and moisture management.

The outer face of Neulana Double is constructed at very high levels of thread density in warp and weft using fine Merino wool yarns that have been stretched, but not set, during Optim™ processing. It is only when the fabric is wet-finished that the stretch is released causing the yarns to contract, thus leading to an extreme tightening of the fabric structure and the creation of the immensely dense fabric, the Woolmark Company said.

The inner-side of Neulana Double is soft to touch and is suitable next to skin. By using special treatment technology, a loose-yet-full structure is formed inside the yarn, raising the ratio of fabric volume to weight. The end result is an air-like, soft fabric with voluminous characteristics and an exquisitely soft handle. The fabric appears to be bonded, but is actually woven, eliminating the need for any synthetics, glue, membrane or lining, and is suitable for high-end casual jackets.

The innovative fabric was unveiled at the Paris event on September 18-21, along with the newest version of The Wool Lab, highlighting the great versatility of wool as a natural fibre.

The Woolmark Company’s general manager of processing innovation and education extension Julie Davies said the company strives to lead the way in the development of technical and performance textiles, both knitted and woven.

“Market demand for technical fibres continues to increase and the development of Neulana Double is our response to this rising demand.

“Wool is an amazing performance fibre and modern innovations and collaborations have led to the creation of lightweight, technical fabrics for the modern-day consumer,” she said.

Neulana Double follows the success of the initial release of fabric using Optim™ technology – co-developed with Nanshan at the Wool Development Centre in China – called Neulana Protect. AWI last year created a series of jackets exclusively for Australian wool growers using this wind and water-resistant fabric, which proved extremely popular among wool-growing families.

The Woolmark Company also presented The Wool Lab Autumn/Winter 2018/19 and The Wool Lab Sport range at Paris. The Wool Lab AW 1819 includes seven fashion-oriented themes, showcasing a collection of the latest commercially available wool fabrics and yarns. The Wool Lab Sport has been updated to include the latest innovations and technical fabrics.

Source: AWI.