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From Sheep to Rug | National Geographic


each year the worldsheet produced

each year the worldsheet produced between 2 to 3 million tons of wool and

between 2 to 3 million tons of wool and

between 2 to 3 million tons of wool and it takes a lot longer than you may think

it takes a lot longer than you may think

it takes a lot longer than you may think to go from this to this the Pendleton

to go from this to this the Pendleton

to go from this to this the Pendleton Mills receive about 8,000 pounds of

Mills receive about 8,000 pounds of

Mills receive about 8,000 pounds of freshly shorn wool from around the world

freshly shorn wool from around the world

freshly shorn wool from around the world each day Marshall welcome to pedal to

each day Marshall welcome to pedal to

each day Marshall welcome to pedal to woollen Mills at Washougal Washington

the first thing they do with a fresh

the first thing they do with a fresh batch of wool is diet into one of

batch of wool is diet into one of

batch of wool is diet into one of thousands of colors they use in their

thousands of colors they use in their

thousands of colors they use in their fabrics

workers load 500 pounds of fleece into a

workers load 500 pounds of fleece into a 5-foot steel basket

5-foot steel basket

5-foot steel basket where this hydraulic press uses water

where this hydraulic press uses water

where this hydraulic press uses water and pressure to compact it

compacting the wall allows them to die

compacting the wall allows them to die more at one time and preserve resources

once it’s compressed it’s ready for the

once it’s compressed it’s ready for the dying process a crane lifts the basket

dying process a crane lifts the basket

dying process a crane lifts the basket and slowly lowers it into a giant

and slowly lowers it into a giant

and slowly lowers it into a giant pressurized vat called a dyke here a

computer triggers the release of dye

computer triggers the release of dye from tanks above into the keyer they add

from tanks above into the keyer they add

from tanks above into the keyer they add the dye chemicals and 1,200 gallons of

the dye chemicals and 1,200 gallons of

the dye chemicals and 1,200 gallons of hot water the nice thing about wool is

hot water the nice thing about wool is

hot water the nice thing about wool is that it’s hydrophilic it loves water and

that it’s hydrophilic it loves water and

that it’s hydrophilic it loves water and what that means for us is that wool will

what that means for us is that wool will

what that means for us is that wool will hold on to its color for a really long

hold on to its color for a really long

hold on to its color for a really long time after three to four hours fresh

time after three to four hours fresh

time after three to four hours fresh water pumps in to rinse out excess dye

here a quick spin cycle removes most of

here a quick spin cycle removes most of the water but the newly colored wool is

the water but the newly colored wool is

the water but the newly colored wool is still pretty damp so it’s on to

still pretty damp so it’s on to

still pretty damp so it’s on to Pendleton stock dryer though this is

Pendleton stock dryer though this is

Pendleton stock dryer though this is nothing like your dryer at home this is

nothing like your dryer at home this is

nothing like your dryer at home this is a gigantic microwave oven that they use

a gigantic microwave oven that they use

a gigantic microwave oven that they use to remove the remaining moisture from

to remove the remaining moisture from

to remove the remaining moisture from the wall the reason why they use

the wall the reason why they use

the wall the reason why they use microwaves instead of heat is the same

microwaves instead of heat is the same

microwaves instead of heat is the same reason you wouldn’t put your fine

reason you wouldn’t put your fine

reason you wouldn’t put your fine woolens into the dryer heat can damage

woolens into the dryer heat can damage

woolens into the dryer heat can damage the wool fibers and also shrink them by

the wool fibers and also shrink them by

the wool fibers and also shrink them by using microwaves they preserve the

using microwaves they preserve the

using microwaves they preserve the quality of the wool

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