Knowledge atlas
Nature
Pramenka sheep wool, coarse wool
Pramenka is an autochthonous domestic sheep that used to be widespread throughout Europe, and now it is most represented in the Balkan countries. It got its name from the emphasized strands of open wool. Even today, it is the basic raw material in the home production of carpets in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Name of Material in the local and Latin language
- Vuna ovce pramenke (Lat. lana)
- Type of Material
- Organic
- Commonly Found Locations
- Eastern Bosnia, central Bosnia, northern Bosnia, Herzegovina
- Major Industrial Producers or Suppliers
- Wool-line, Bogda
- Colour
- It is usually creamy white colour, but it can also be black, brown, silver and random mixes.
- Density
- 16 – 70 kg/m³
- Hardness
- Compared to many other textile fibers, the strength of wool is low, so slightly coarser yarns are produced from it, in order to ensure the necessary resistance of woollen products to loads during use.
- Melting/Boiling Point
- Wool does not melt
- Solubility
- Hydrochloric acid dissolves wool
- Structure
- Pramenka sheep belongs to the coarse-wool Pramenka group, which is characterized by mixed wool, i.e. fleece composed of finer, shorter and real wool threads, and long, but coarse wool threads.
- Chemical Composition
- The elemental composition of wool is approximately 50% carbon, 22-25% oxygen, 16-17% nitrogen, 7% hydrogen, and 3-4% sulphur.
- Industrial and Crafts Applications
- It is used in production of insulation in rooms (roof, floor, walls), as well as in creating, pillows, quilts, mattresses, clothes, carpets, paths, souvenirs, sponge for facial exfoliation.
- Historical or Cultural Uses
- It was mainly used in the clothing and weaving industries.
- Environmental Impact
- Scientific studies show that wool is 100% biodegradable in both land and marine environments.
- Innovative or Emerging Applications
- Beauty industry, insulation material
- Extraction Methods
- Sheep shearing
- Processing Techniques
- Cleaning, sorting, combing, dyeing and spinning
- Sustainability and Environmental Considerations
- Wool is 100% biodegradable.
- Recycling and Waste Management
- Wool is highly and easily recyclable.
