1290 days ago

The Green Side of Wool

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean (The Curtain Store)

We have a soft spot for sheep. For many, sheep are symbolic to New Zealand culture with the rearing of sheep being the backbone to the economy for many years.

Sheep farming was established in New Zealand by the 1850s and has played an important role in the economy ever since. For several decades wool accounted for more than a third of New Zealand’s exports by value with the sheep population peaking at just over 70 million in 1982.

This number is significant when comparing it to New Zealand’s human population. By 2020, sheep numbers dropped to 26 million, following a decline in profitability compared to other types of farming, particularly dairying.

While also farmed for their meat, today’s article focuses on sheep wool and its environmental attributes.

Wool is a natural and renewable resource and as long as our beloved sheep are eating the tasty green pastures from New Zealand farms they will always produce wool. Wool has amazing properties that make it ideal for many applications from home textiles through to incontinence underwear.

At this point in time, cotton and synthetic fibres are the most commonly used and produced fibres globally, however their performance does not come close to wool, in particular the environmental benefits.

From wool to yarn: The wool clip (total yield of wool shorn during one season from the sheep) is sent to the scourers where the wool is cleaned and dried, and from there to a woollen spinner where the fibre is spun into yarn. The yarn is then sent on to the manufacturer of textile products where many different processes are involved.

The yarn is wound onto dye cones and dyed to the required colours. Next the yarn is warped onto beams. These warp beams are then threaded through the looms so that the weft yarn can run across the warp to create a woven fabric.

The fabric is then inspected and then washed and dried. Very few chemicals are used in the processing, typically only water and heat.



Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

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More messages from your neighbours
5 hours ago

Disney Magic Comes to Wellington

Disney

Starting February 20, Takina Wellington will host "Disney: The Magic of Animation."

This enchanting exhibition features over 600 pieces of artwork, spanning from the late 1920s to today. Highlights include original animation artwork from Disney's latest movie, "Moana 2" (2024).

Enjoy themed events and access to the new SuperFan ticket. The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 5pm, with the last entry at 4pm. Don't miss this magical journey through Disney's animated history!
Find out more

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5 hours ago

🕵️‍♂️ Solve It If You Can! 🔎 Riddle Time

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I’m a place of beauty,
from mountains to sea,
where the long white cloud drifts gracefully;
I’m far from most but close in heart—
what country am I,
a world apart?

Bonus points if you know the photo's location, here's a hint: it's the Riddler's home town!

Do you think you know the answer to our riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post if you know the answer and the big reveal will be posted in the comments at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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9 days ago

Kiwirail don't care about our community. Ava bridge.

Mike from Alicetown

From Kiwirail. Received today February 10th.

Work on the Ava railway bridge is scheduled to begin later this month, meaning that the walkway will be closing from 24 February.



We’re mindful that the walkway is well used by the community. The upgrade to the bridge is essential and urgent, and involves replacing the sleepers that the walkway is attached to – to keep the rail bridge in good working order for commuter trains we have to do the maintenance work now.



We are continuing to talk with Hutt City Council and are open to replacing the walkway in the future in a way that is safe and compliant. Funding for a replacement would need to be sourced via Hutt City Council as KiwiRail is only funded for work on the rail corridor, and public walkways sit outside of that.

🤬🤬🤬🤬
So mindful that they didn't mention it in nearly ten months of chat with the council.