Neglected Wools: Fundamental Steps to Counteract the Loss of Potentially Valuable Materials Derived from Native Sheep Breeds

In order to enhance the textile value of Italian native and local wools, research projects were carried out by starting mapping wools from some Italian sheep breeds through a preliminary morphological characterization of wool fibres. Furthermore, textile processing procedures differing from the commonly used woolling techniques have been set up. The results have shown that, at national level, native and local wools, beyond being more widely employed in the carpets production, could be also used in the higher added value sector of clothing and fashion.