About the Materials: Super-Geelong Lambswool

About the Materials: Super-Geelong Lambswool

The Lanam Shop is truly fortunate to have a dedicated and informed customer base. Over time, customers have asked questions, shared knowledge and experiences, and helped shape our seasonal collections with their feedback. We have found that the more we can share with our customers about the exceptional materials, diligent crafting process, and pertinent characteristics of all our garments, a natural distinction between our products and others emerges. Moreover, we wish to share this knowledge with those merely interested in the materials and time-honored techniques used to bring to life our garments. We want to dedicate some time to our super-fine men’s Geelong sweaters. 

What is Geelong?

Geelong can allude to either a place or a subclass of Merino sheep. Located southwest of Melbourne, Australia the city of Geelong has not always been so sprawling. Originally, the city of Geelong was nothing more than sprawling undeveloped countryside, with occasional farms. As the area started to grow into a bustling port city, Merino sheep from Spain were soon imported to the area, with the first documented arrival occurring in 1797. The climate and natural resources of southern Australia perfectly matched the needs of sheep farmers. Overtime, the wool trade grew and farmers started to develop pedigree flocks.

Developed and refined over two centuries, the individuals belonging to pedigree Geelong flocks are among the most prized in the wool industry. Their Soft, lightweight coat is the result of attentive husbandry practices. After more than 200 hundred years of practicing their craft, the modern day members of these flocks produce wool that rivals the finest cashmere both on the basis of warmth and softness.

While technically still Merino wool, the wool from Geelong Merino sheep is labeled differently as an intentional quality differentiation. Similarly, our Geelong wool is also considered lambswool, as it meets all requirements. Lastly, our Geelong is of “super-fine” quality, meaning that the individual fibers have a diameter between 15-18.5 microns.

Where is Geelong from?

Geelong is from the bustling port city of Geelong, Australia. Presently, urban expansion has pushed some of the most celebrated pedigree sheep flocks further west, while some have traveled further north. New pasture land has not resulted in any noticeable changes in wool quality. 

How does Geelong differ from “similar” materials?

Not unlike most lambswool varieties, Geelong has a wonderful warmth-to-weight-ratio. What distinguishes Geelong is its softness. This is due in large part to the extremely fine fibers making up the inner coat of the sheep. With more “fluff” than the average sheep coat, the inner hairs are whiter in color, allowing for better dye absorption. This results in wonderfully vivid colors. As our Geelong is lambswool, it is rich with natural lanolin, giving it an extra soft touch.

What is the refining process for Geelong?

Like most wools, lambswool Geelong needs to be sorted, carded, dyed, and spun. Firstly, the raw wool is carefully sorted mechanically, helping to separate the outer guard hair from the desirable inner coat. The outer guard hair will not make for a comfortable sweater but the soft, silk-like inner fiber will. Secondly, the wool is carded mechanically. The raw wool will make dozens of passes through the carding machine. With each pass, the individual Geelong fibers will start to separate and self-arrange in the same direction. In order to make quality yarn, the individual fibers must all be lined up in the same direction. Thirdly, the wool is dyed. Raw fibers are dumped into large vats containing dyeing compounds. These can be organic or inorganic, with the finest dyes being derived from entirely natural origins. Not all natural dyes are “quality.” Often, natural dyes cannot bind to the fiber with the same strength that synthesized dyes can. Remember that inorganic and organic has a technical chemistry definition, meaning carbon molecules are not or are present (respectively). This definition differs from say, an organic farm.

What styles are available in Geelong?

The Lanam Shop proudly carries one of the largest collections of Geelong available. We offer five core styles with over a dozen total yarn colors. Surely, the perfect sweater awaits… pair it with a corresponding Viyella for the perfect gift set! All of our Geelong styles are one-ply and feature both set-in shoulders and turned-back cuffs. Comparable in warmth and softness to cashmere, Geelong is an excellent value. Our best-selling cardigan is offered in core colors, sure to correspond with anything. We also stock a sleeveless waistcoat version, too. Lastly, the collection comes in the essential V-neck, crew neck, and vest styles.

What are the advantages of wearing Geelong?

The biggest advantage is the ability to cut down bulk, while maximizing warmth and comfort. Softer than most wools, a Geelong sweater will last longer because of the natural deposits of lanolin wax enveloping the fibers, completely. 

How is The Lanam Shops Geelong Collection unique?

Our Geelong collection is truly special because we only use fiber from the original pedigree Geelong flock. This fiber is transformed into beautiful yarn for us in England and knitted in Scotland. With sizes available from chest size 40 to 50, we can fit a large range of people with considerable ease. We also offer made-to-order size and colors up to size 60, but you have to contact Customer Service in order to determine availability, lead times, and in-stock yarns. No store compares to our color availability either. With limited-edition colors added every year, it is worth staying in the loop by signing up for emails from The Lanam Shop. You will be the first to know about exclusive colors, pre-orders, and trunk shows… don’t miss out! You can sign up by navigating to the lower right hand corner of our homepage and furnishing your information in the sign up box.

Index of Terms:

Carding: a mechanical process that detangles wool, allowing it to be arranged in a single direction. This is helpful when the wool is spun.

Guard Hair: the thick outer layer of wool fiber. It acts as a waterproofing layer and protects the soft inner layer. Guard hair or the “outer coat” is not suitable for the crafting of quality sweaters.

Geelong: a port city in southern Australia where the flocks of pedigree Geelong sheep were first refined via animal husbandry methods.

Lamb: a baby sheep.

Lambswool: wool from the first clipping of a young lamb, no older than seven months of age. These fibers cannot be longer than 50mm. This is an internationally recognized classification.

Lanolin: a naturally occurring compound found in animal wool. It is especially abundant in the wool of young lambs. It helps maintain the softness of the inner coat and possesses waterproofing qualities.

Micron: or micrometer (µm) a unit of measurement within the System International (SI) equal to one-millionth of a meter or 1/25000 of an inch.

Warmth-to-heat-ratio: An unofficial, unscientific measurement that is widely used in the garment industry. It seeks to “quantify” (via relatively ranking) the heat retention properties of a sweater in comparison to the weight and bulk of a sweater. This is a factor that can be tested and determined in a lab setting, though we have not done that.