wool vs. acrylic - how to distinguish?

[Janabear]

hi,

i bought a sweater at the thrift shop tonight. its a man's vest and i am pretty sure it is a heathered wine wool.............but i am not possitive....

i dont want to unravel it only to find out its acrylic and i will re-donate it. any suggestions?

thanks!

[margrue]

Can you get an inch or so to test without ruining it? If you touch a lit match to the end of the yarn, wool will burn and acrylic will melt. (hold the piece with tweezers so you don't burn your fingers) I have also heard that a bit of wool dropped in a glass of chlorine bleach will dissolve.

[Janabear]

thanks! i tried this and it burned and smelled a bit like burnt hair. i did some stuff i knew was acrylic and it burned too but smelled more like tar. i should try the bleach thing:)

[Aggie May]

Most acrylic is shiney and smooth and wool is fluffier. Pinch it on the inside and you may get some fibres off to do the burn test. If you do get some fluff, put it on an old saucer and try the burn test, with a match. Acrylic will melt and smell like plastic where-as wool does not carry a flame but will smell like hair burning.

Colleen

[PJinNH]

Just send it to me! If I break out in an itchy rash it's wool. If not, it's acrylic!

[Janabear]

lol! thanks for all your tips!

it burned, but then again, i tried it against some highland wool i have and it burned too so go figure! i did the bleach test and it bleached to a white and 1/2 the original size, so i am going to assume its a wool/acrylic blend:) its nice all the same, so i am going to take it apart...........................

got another sweater yesterday at the TS and its a hot pink soft mohair, handmade lacy sweater. it will be great for a scarf!