Before yarns can be created, the raw or ‘greasy’ wool needs to be cleaned, sediments removed and fibres untangled to a standard that allows the next steps in production to begin.

Scouring Scouring is focused on the removal of residual contaminants and untangling of fibres via rigorous washing and drying of the Merino wool. [View PDF]

Contaminants recovery It is vital that the machines used for scouring, known as ‘bowls’, are kept free of the contaminants that the greasy wool brings into the system. Recovering these sediments from the bowls keeps the scouring process running effectively. [View PDF]

Effluent treatment The water that is discharged from the scouring lines contains high levels of organic pollutants. This issue can be addressed via recycling of the process waste and by viewing extracted contaminants as resources rather than waste. [View PDF]

Carbonising Carbonising is the chemical process that is used to remove vegetable matter from Merino wool. [View PDF]