Paradise Fibers Pearly Polwarth - 50/50 Precious Pearl Infused Cellulose and Polwarth Top Micro Blend

Details

Pearly Polwarth brings together two beautifully compatible fibers in a 50/50 blend that is greater than the sum of its parts. Fine Polwarth wool contributes softness, loft, and excellent fiber processing qualities, while pearl fiber adds a silky-smooth hand and a subtle natural sheen. Because the two fibers take dye differently, this blend has a particular magic for hand dyers: acid dye alone produces a naturally heathered, two-tone result with a built-in shimmer, giving you complex and luminous color with no extra effort. Offered undyed in a clean natural white, it is a versatile preparation that is as lovely to work with as it is to look at.

About Pearl Fiber
Pearl fiber is a regenerated cellulose fiber made by incorporating finely ground pearl powder into a viscose solution during spinning, producing a fiber with a silky-smooth hand and a soft, natural luster. Both pearl fiber and Polwarth wool are natural, biodegradable materials that will break down at end of life without leaving microplastic residue, unlike synthetic shimmer fibers. In use, pearl fiber is durable and stable, behaving similarly to other cellulose fibers such as bamboo or Tencel.
Working With This Blend
This blend is wonderfully versatile and a dream to work with. It drafts easily for spinning and blends smoothly with other fibers. The finished yarn offers a lovely balance of loft and drape, a slightly cooler and more moisture-friendly hand than pure wool thanks to the cellulose content, and a soft natural luster that persists beautifully into the finished yarn.

Felting This Blend
Because felting is driven by the protein fiber component, it is really the Polwarth doing the work here. Polwarth is an excellent felting wool, and in this blend it will grab and lock around the pearl fiber, carrying it along in the felt structure. The result is a cohesive felt with a beautiful surface sheen, though the 50% cellulose content means the process will be slower and require more agitation than a pure wool preparation. Both wet and needle felting are achievable with patience.

Dyeing This Blend
Because Polwarth is a protein fiber and pearl fiber is cellulose, the two components take dye differently, and that difference is one of the most appealing qualities of this blend for hand dyers. Acid dyes will color the Polwarth deeply and richly while the pearl fiber absorbs a softer, lighter tone, producing a natural heathered quality with a built-in shimmer. This differential uptake gives you a beautifully complex, heathered result with no extra effort. For those who prefer more even color saturation across both fibers, a combination approach works well, using acid dye for the Polwarth and fiber reactive dye for the pearl fiber in separate baths, or an all-in-one dye such as Landscape Dye that handles both fiber types. Either way, the pearl fiber's natural luster continues to show through the finished color beautifully.

Care and Handling
This blend should be hand washed in cool to lukewarm water with a gentle wool wash and laid flat to dry. The Polwarth wool sets the care requirements here, as wool is sensitive to heat and agitation and will felt if mistreated. The pearl fiber component is more heat tolerant on its own, but to protect the wool, avoid hot water, wringing, or tumble drying. Treated gently, finished projects from this blend will be long-lasting and stable.

Fiber Qualities
Blend: 50% Polwarth Wool (22-23 micron) / 50% Pearl Fiber
Staple length: approximately 3 inches
Top length: approximately 3.5 ft per 1 oz
Top width: 1 inch
Preparation: Combed top
Works well for: spinning, wet felting, needle felting, blending, and hand dyeing.