The influence of selected factors on wool cortisol concentration in alpacas (Vicugna pacos).

Several internal and external factors can influence animals' hormonal activity. Cortisol level in hair and wool determines chronic stress, which is connected with the long-term HPA axis effect. Wool cortisol levels in alpacas have never been determined to this time. The study aimed to assess the influence of selected factors on wool cortisol concentration in alpacas. The study included 36 alpacas. Wool samples were collected during shearing in June 2021, cut with an electric clipper from the right shoulder and the rump. Wool samples were fragmented into proximal (winter-spring regrowth) and distal (summer-fall regrowth) segments. Alpacas' Heat Stress Index (HSI) for the summer of 2020 was 139.4, and 116 for the winter of 2021. The cortisol levels in the wool samples were determined with the General Cortisol ELISA Kit assay. The most significant differences in wool cortisol concentrations were caused by two factors: the wool segment (P < 0.001; η2 = 0.889) and the region on the body (P < 0.001; η2 = 0.876). Wool cortisol level was higher in the distal segment (referring to the summer-fall season) than in the proximal one (referring to the winter-spring season). It is suggested that alpacas can feel heat stress in summer (HSI = 139.4), which could influence higher cortisol levels in the distal segment. The wool cortisol level was higher in the rump samples than the shoulder ones. Therefore, it is essential in future studies that wool samples from all tested animals should be completed from the same body region. Differences among age and sex groups were also observed. Wool cortisol level was higher in older animals, as differences between age groups were observed in samples from the rump in the distal and proximal segments (distal, the rump younger*older: P < 0.001; η2 = 0.321; proximal, the rump older*younger: P = 0.007; η2 = 0.195). Males showed higher cortisol levels than females, as a difference between sexes was observed in samples from the rump in the proximal segment (P = 0.001, η2 = 0.271). This study emphasizes that various factors may significantly influence wool cortisol levels, which can be helpful in alpacas' welfare estimation using this hormonal indicator as a noninvasive long-term stress assessment method.

Green syntheses of silk fibroin/wool keratin-protected AuAg nanoclusters with enhanced fluorescence for multicolor and patterned anti-counterfeiting.

Counterfeiting is a serious worldwide issue that threatens human health and economic security. How to apply anti-counterfeiting techniques to textile materials remains a great challenge. Herein, we report bimetallic AuAg nanoclusters (NCs) synthesized by one-step reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) with wool keratin (WK) as reducer and silk fibroin (SF) as stabilizer. The strongest orange-red fluorescence under ultraviolet light as well as the highest zeta potential absolute values of -27.97 mV were simultaneously realized in the optimal proportion Au-AgNCs2 (WK/SF is 3/2), which was further processed to a series of anti-counterfeiting films by blending with SF, silk sericin (SS), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). After successfully being numbered into fifteen colors, a dark blue-orange-dark red-dark blue cyclic fluorescent anti-counterfeiting color chart was designed. In addition, a two-Maxwell-unit model was constructed to assist with the microstructure analysis, which found that the formation of hydrogen bonds and the secondary structure transition from α-helices to ß-sheets during stretching were responsible for improving the mechanical properties and the two-staged fracture curves of films, respectively. Finally, a patterned and multicolor fluorescence anti-counterfeiting fabric application was demonstrated by combining the color chart and screen printing, indicating the great potential in textile anti-counterfeiting.

Smartphone-based procedure to determine content of single synthetic dyes in food using the Arata-Possetto extraction method.

The use of additives, including dyes, is common in the preparation of food products. The analytical control of artificial food dye content is relevant since some, such as azo dyes, may produce cancer and attention deficit disorders and hyperactivity in children. Consequently, the maximum permitted concentration of azo dyes in food is regulated by current legislation. Therefore, it is of interest to find simple and fast procedures for the control of these compounds. The aim of this study is to determine the concentration of azo dyes in food samples by the Arata-Possetto method - based on the extraction of azo dyes employing natural wool -, followed by the analysis of an image captured by a smartphone camera. After experimentally determining the optimal extraction conditions, the calibration curves for standard solutions of different food dyes and the color of the dyed wool were obtained. Results from dyed wool image processing were compared with the absorbance spectra of the solutions before extraction as measured by a diode array spectrophotometer. The spectrophotometric and the image processing procedures were employed to obtain the calibration curves for different food dyes, which were subsequently employed to analyze food samples. Statistical treatment shows that the results of both methods are comparable.

In quest for improvement of dyeing properties using agriculture waste: utilization of Oleaster as new bio-mordant for wool yarns.

Agricultural waste is an unwanted material that is not only unmarketable, but also has secondary costs such as environmental pollution. Oleaster, also known as olive Russian fruit, has various uses, but it also produces waste such as seeds and peels. Oleaster fruit and all its parts are tannin rich, which can be utilized as natural mordant. Improvement of fastness and color properties of natural dyed fibers is obtained by using mordant. The employing of this mordant is effective in reducing agricultural waste and the production of dyeing chemical waste. Reseda extract was utilized as natural dye to investigate the color characteristics. The study of the phenolic percentage of different components of the Oleaster fruit, including peel, seed, and flesh, showed that each of these materials can be used as natural mordant. The formation of physical bonds in the presence of all kinds of mordant was investigated using the FTIR method, and the results showed that their performance is similar and they are effective in surface treatment of wool. Investigation of color characteristics of the yarns showed that the color strength increases in the presence of mordant. Studying the fastness of yarns dyed with ISO methods showed that the samples have high washing fastness.

Modification of wool fibre's structural properties as a cheap adsorbent for the elimination of Cr6+ and Rhodamine6g dye from aqueous solution.

Wool, a naturally occurring biopolymer made up of amino acids, is employed as an adsorbent for both modified and unmodified forms of the dyes rhodamine6G (R6G) and Cr6+. The two-step procedure of (i) ring opening polymerization (ROP) and (ii) condensation reaction was used to modify the structure of wool fibre. Both the ROP and the condensation provide steric free chain expanding groups as well as adsorption-improving groups. The FT-IR spectrum, which showed peaks about 1725 and 1630 cm-1 corresponding to the CO and CN stretchings, respectively, confirmed the structural modification. By detecting a slight hump at 8.5 ppm, 1H NMR was able to validate the later functional group. DSC, TGA, FE-SEM, EDX, and water contact angle (WCA) were also used to characterize it. With the aid of a UV-visible spectrophotometer, the quantitative adsorption of both Cr6+ and R6G by modified and unmodified Wool fibre was monitored. For the adsorption of Cr6+ and R6G, the pseudo first order and pseudo second order kinetics were used. The multilayer coating of adsorbate onto adsorbent was confirmed by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated and compared to values found in the literature.

Eco-friendly microwave assisted sustainable coloration of silk and wool fabric with Acid Blue 07 dye.

Environment-friendly textile processing is the demand of the current global scenario, where the application of sustainable technologies such as microwave radiation has been gaining fame in all global fields due to their green and human-friendly nature. This study has been conducted to employ sustainable technology such as microwave (MW) rays for dyeing polyamide-based proteinous fabric using Acid Blue 07 dye. The fabric before and after MW treatment for up to 10 min has been dyed using an acid dye solution. Spectrophotometric analysis of the dye solution was performed before and after irradiation at a specific selected level. Using selected dyes and irradiation conditions, a series of 32 experiments using a central composite design has been employed. The shades made at selected conditions of irradiation and dyeing were assessed for colorfastness as per ISO standards. It was observed that for dyeing silk, 55 mL of Acid Blue 07 dye solution containing 1 g/100 mL salt solution at 65 °C for 55 min should be employed after MW treatment for 10 min. In comparison, for dyeing wool, 55 mL of Acid Blue 07 dye solution containing 2 g/100 mL salt solution at 65 °C for 55 min should be employed after MW treatment for 10 min. Physiochemical analysis shows that sustainable tool has not altered the chemical nature of fabric but has modified the fabric surface physically to enhance uptake ability. Colorfastness shows that the shades made have offered good resistance to fade and have given good to excellent ratings on the gray scale.

Wool dyeing using Ziziphus bark extract as a natural dye: studies on the dyeing, antibacterial, and antioxidant characteristics.

Considering the growing importance of natural colorants and sustainable products, the research on application of natural dyes has been focused on new color resources, identification, and standardization of natural dyes. Hence, the extraction of natural colorants available in Ziziphus bark was performed by ultrasound technique and its application on the wool yarn to produce the antioxidant and antibacterial fibers. The optimal conditions for the extraction process were as follows: ethanol/water (1/2 v/v) as solvent, concentration of Ziziphus dye 14 g/L, pH 9, temperature 50 °C, time 30 min, and L.R ratio 50:1. Moreover, the effect of important variables for application of Ziziphus dye on the wool yarn was investigated and optimized temperature 100 °C, concentration of Ziziphus dye 50% o.w.f., time for dyeing 60 min and pH 8, and L.R 30:1. The reduction values of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria on dyed samples at optimized condition were 85% and 76%, respectively. Moreover, the antioxidant property of dyed sample was 78%. The color variations on the wool yarn were produced with diverse metal mordants, and color fastness properties were measured. Ziziphus dye not only can be used as an origin for a natural dye, but also provided the antibacterial and antioxidant agent on the wool yarn, which can be a step towards the fabrication of green products.

Wool keratin as a novel alternative protein: A comprehensive review of extraction, purification, nutrition, safety, and food applications.

The growing global population and lifestyle changes have increased the demand for specialized diets that require protein and other essential nutrients for humans. Recent technological advances have enabled the use of food bioresources treated as waste as additional sources of alternative proteins. Sheep wool is an inexpensive and readily available bioresource containing 95%-98% protein, making it an outstanding potential source of protein for food and biotechnological applications. The strong structure of wool and its indigestibility are the main hurdles to achieving its potential as an edible protein. Although various methods have been investigated for the hydrolysis of wool into keratin, only a few of these, such as sulfitolysis, oxidation, and enzymatic processes, have the potential to generate edible keratin. In vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity studies reported no cytotoxicity effects of extracted keratin, suggesting its potential for use as a high-value protein ingredient that supports normal body functions. Keratin has a high cysteine content that can support healthy epithelia, glutathione synthesis, antioxidant functions, and skeletal muscle functions. With the recent spike in new keratin extraction methods, extensive long-term investigations that examine prolonged exposure of keratin generated from these techniques in animal and human subjects are required to ascertain its safety. Food applications of wool could improve the ecological footprint of sheep farming and unlock the potential of a sustainable protein source that meets demands for ethical production of animal protein.

Non-invasive analysis of natural textile dyes using fluorescence excitation-emission matrices.

Multidimensional fluorescence spectroscopy was assessed as a non-invasive and non-destructive method for the analysis of components in natural textile dyes. Results demonstrate that components in the natural dyes fluoresce and wool's intrinsic fluorescence is, in many cases, not a considerable analytical interferent. In the case of some self-dyed reference yarns, like those dyed with northern and lady's bedstraws, wood horsetail, safflower, salted shield lichen, dyer's madder and cochineal, the fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) are sufficiently characteristic for using them as a primary means of identification (or assignment to a family of dyes). With most of the studied yellow and green dyes (heather, silver birch, some bloodred webcap treatments, alkanet), however, the spectra can be used as additional information for identification. This study reports multidimensional fluorescence data for a collection of wools dyed with natural dyes (31 dyed wool yarn samples that were self-dyed with 18 different natural dyes) that were used as references in a case study of two historical textiles for which liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used as a confirmatory technique. Given its utility as a rapid and non-destructive/non-invasive method with information-rich multidimensional EEM output, the front-face fluorescence spectroscopy of surfaces using a fiber optic probe is a promising technique for the analysis of dyes on cultural heritage textiles.

Environmental friendly pollution free bio-dyeing of wool with haar singhar (Coral Jasmine) flower extract.

The world's move towards revival of eco-labelled products has created a huge urge to explore new means which are healthier for the global community. Among such means, plant-based bio-pigments for coloration of matrix are gaining worldwide fame, particularly in the textile sector. For the purpose of appraising new source of eco-friendly dyes, using microwave irradiation techniques, Coral Jasmine flowers have been explored for the bio-dyeing of wool. The colorant was extracted in acidic medium owing to nature of fabric, and both stuffs have been exposed to microwave treatment up to 5 min. Bio-coloration of MW irradiated and unirradiated wool was done using MW irradiated and unirradiated extract for observing high yield. Central composite design (CCD) as statistical method was utilized to see the significance of dyeing parameters chosen for mordanting to develop colorfast shades. Different concentrations of sustainable chemicals and bio-mordants as per weight of fabric were employed to introduce new shades with improved colorfastness properties. International standard textile methods determining shade permanency (fastness) have been employed onto selected dyed-mordanted fabrics. Good yield of colorant was observed when MW irradiated wool fabric was dyed at 75 °C for 45 min with extract of 7 pH, having 1.5g/100 mL of salt solution; the promising color yield was observed. As per gray scale ratings observed after ISO standard methods, pine nut as bio-mordant and iron salt as chemical mordant have developed colorfast shades. Conclusively, it can be recommended that methods for the isolation of colorants from new dye yielding plants, MW heating method as suitable clean technology and medicinal-based bio-mordants should be employed for getting permanent gamutes.

Development of Environmentally Friendly Wool Shrink-Proof Finishing Technology Based on L-Cysteine/Protease Treatment Solution System.

The particular scale structure and mechanical properties of wool fiber make its associated fabrics prone to felting, seriously affecting the service life of wool products. Although the existing Chlorine-Hercosett treatment has a remarkable effect, it can lead to environmental pollution. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop an environmentally friendly and effective shrink-proof finishing technology. For this study, L-cysteine was mixed with protease to form a treatment solution system for shrink-proof finishing of wool fibers. The reduction performance of L-cysteine and its effect on wool were compared with those of other reagents, demonstrating that L-cysteine has an obvious reduction and destruction effect on the wool scale layer. Based on this, L-cysteine and protease 16L were mixed in a certain proportion to prepare an L-cysteine/protease treatment solution system (L/PTSS). The shrink-proof finishing of a wool top was carried out by the continuous multiple-padding method, and the processing parameters were optimized using the response surface method. The results indicated that when the concentrations of L-cysteine and protease 16L were 9 g/L and 1 g/L, respectively, the wool was padded five times at 50 °C, and each immersion time was 30 s, the felt ball density of the treated wool reduced from 135.86 kg/m3 to 48.65 kg/m3. The structure and properties of the treated wool were also characterized using SEM, TG, and tensile strength tests, which indicated that the fiber scale structure was stripped evenly. Meanwhile, the treated fibers still retained adequate thermal and mechanical properties, indicating suitable application value. XPS, FT-IR, Raman, UV absorbance, and other test results revealed the reaction mechanism of L/PTSS with the wool fibers. After L-cysteine rapidly reduced the disulfide bonds in wool, protease can hydrolyze peptide chains more effectively, causing the scale layer to gradually peel off. Compared with the chlorination method and other protease shrink-proof technologies, L/PTSS can achieve the finishing effect on wool rapidly and effectively, without causing excessive pollution to the environment. The conclusions of this study provide a foundation for the development and industrial application of biological enzyme shrink-proof finishing technology.

Customizable bio-based coating of phase-transited lysozyme-COS for durable antibacterial and moisture management on wool fabric.

Textiles with efficient moisture management provide a comfortable microenvironment for human body. However, little attention has been paid to sweat-induced bacterial growth alongside. In this study, chitooligosaccharide (COS) was used to modify lysozyme (Lyz-COS) to obtain more excellent antibacterial activity. Lyz-COS could undergo an amyloid-like aggregation by reducing its disulfide bond and hydrogen bond triggered by thiourea dioxide (TD). The Phase-Transited Lyz-COS (PTL-COS) coating increases the hydrophilicity and antibacterial properties of wool fabrics, which can withstand 50 washing cycles and 100 rubbing cycles. In addition, two methods are proposed to customize Janus wool fabrics as desired. Method 1: The PTL-COS film was prepared first, and then the film was transferred to one side of the wool fabric. Method 2: Simply spray the PTL-COS solution on one side of the wool fabric. These two processes are simple to operate and can be customized on demand, enabling single transport of sweat and inhibiting sweat-induced bacterial growth. This work underlines the significance of chitooligosaccharide-modified PTL coatings for functionalization of textile surfaces and provides new insights into the development of more adaptable and smarter textiles and clothing.

Rapid and non-destructive differentiation of Shahtoosh from Pashmina/Cashmere wool using ATR FT-IR spectroscopy.

Shahtoosh, the most expensive and sought-after wool in the illegal wildlife trade is obtained from the underfur of a critically endangered species-the Tibetan Antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii). It is often adulterated or mixed with the wool of Pashmina goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) for making shawls, scarves and other woolen articles to maximize the profit. The comparable fineness, color and texture, makes it a challenging task in wildlife forensics to differentiate them. In this study, an attempt has been made to differentiate 50 reference unprocessed underfur hairs from five individuals of each species using ATR FT-IR spectroscopy in combination with chemometric tools such as PCA, and PLS-DA. Results of PCA model demonstrated slight overlap and thus failed to distinguish hairs of these two species. Subsequently, PLS-DA model was employed, and also validation tests (external and blind testing) were carried out to ensure the predictive ability of the model, which resulted in 100% accuracy. The results of PLS-DA model exhibited complete differentiation between Shahtoosh, Pashmina and Angora (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus) wool used for external validation study with highly significant predictive ability (R-square value 0.99). This proof-of-concept study illustrates the potential of ATR FT-IR spectroscopy to complement current forensic microscopic and DNA based technique to analyze hair evidence in wildlife investigations owing to its rapid and non-destructive nature with high degree of confidence, and its ease-of-use with minimal to no sample preparation.

Facile fabrication of durable antibacterial and anti-felting wool fabrics with enhanced comfort via novel N-phenylmaleimide finishing.

In this study, we successfully synthesized N-phenylmaleimide (NPMI) and applied it to wool fabrics to obtain robust antimicrobial properties. First, tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine (TCEP) was utilized as a reducing agent to produce thiol-active groups on wool fibers. These thiol groups were then reacted with the C=C group of NPMI via thiol-ene click chemistry. The morphology and structure of the finished NPMI composite wool fabric were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The composite wool fabrics exhibited durable antibacterial properties against both S. aureus and E. coli and the antimicrobial rates of both E. coli and S. aureus were around 99% after one standard washing cycle, with only a slight decrease of 95% after ten standard washing cycles, respectively. In addition, the composite wool fabric exhibited good anti-felting performance and maintained its original excellent breathability and moisture permeability. The present work provides a facile and sustainable strategy for constructing durable antimicrobial wool fabrics without losing their original properties.

Sustainable dyeing of wool yarns with renewable sources.

Medical and healthcare fabrics are one of the most important fields in the textile industries worldwide. They are essential in all medical fields, especially where hygiene is required. Also, it is imperative to keep the ecosystem safe up to a great extent and also produce natural-based goods. Natural dyeing with plant sources can be claimed to be an excellent environmentally friendly procedure for providing healthcare fabrics. In this study, date seeds and Zenian were used as an eco-friendly mordant and dye, respectively, for dyeing wool yarns. Date seeds pre-treated wool yarns were dyed with the methanolic extract of Zenian by the exhaustion process at the optimum dyeing conditions of dye concentration 40 g/L, pH = 4, time = 45 min, and temperature 90 °C. The pre-treating of wool yarns with date seeds not only improved the dyeability of the samples but also enhanced the colorfastness to washing and light exposure. The results also show that the pre-treated and dyed samples have effective antibacterial activity against microorganism strains. Moreover, the data confirmed the dye bath obtained from the extract of Zenian does not represent a high environmentally polluting effect, and the elaborated dyeing process enables to reduce the biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal values significantly. The knowledge obtained from this work presents an appropriate promising foundation for the high-added-value application of agricultural waste products.

Preparation and applications of keratin biomaterials from natural keratin wastes.

Keratin is a kind of natural polymer that is abundant in feathers, wool, and hair. Being one of the natural biomolecules, keratin has excellent biological activity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, favorable material mechanical properties, and natural abundance, which exhibit significant biological and biomedical application potentials. At present, the strategies commonly used for preparing keratin from hair, feathers, wool, etc. include physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods. The present article mainly reviews the structure, classification, preparation methods, and the main biological applications of keratin, and these applications cover wound healing, hemostasis, targeted release of tissue engineering drugs, and so on. It is expected to lay the foundations for its future in-depth investigations and wide applications of keratin biomaterials. KEY POINTS: • There are several pathways to prepare biologically active keratin from wool, feathers, and human hair, etc • Promoting blood coagulation by keratin is related to the adhesion and activation of platelets and the aggregation of fibrin • The biological applications of keratin, including wound healing and tissue engineering, are summarized.

Green miles in dyeing technology: metal-rich pumpkin extracts in aid of natural dyes.

To reduce environmental pollution, it is essential to use green processes in dyeing and meet its requirements. Most natural dyes have a low affinity to be used in the dyeing process. To refine this limitation, the mordanting flow is necessary for many dyeing cases. Pumpkin extract as a natural, metal-rich source can be used as a bio-mordant in green dyeing of natural yarns such as wool. Two natural dyes native to Iran, Reseda luteola and madder, were employed in this study. The effectiveness of bio-mordant presence on yarns was evaluated by FTIR-ATR test from mordanted and mordanted-dyed wool samples. The study of K/S (color strength) content of dyed samples showed that increasing the dye concentration increases the amount of K/S. Fastness performance of wool dyed with pumpkin alternated from good to excellent depending on natural dye type and concentration, due to the formation of complex structures.

Wool keratin - A novel dietary protein source: Nutritional value and toxicological assessment.

Keratin derived protein (KDP) was extracted from sheep wool using high pressure microwave technology and food acids and investigated for its potential as a novel dietary protein. The proximate composition, amino acid profile, element profile, in vitro cytotoxicity and digestibility of KDP were evaluated. Nutritive effects of KDP at 50% dietary supplementation were compared with a casein-based diet in a growing rat model for 95 days. Results indicate KDP to be rich in protein (86%), amino acid cysteine (8.8 g/100 g) and element selenium (0.29 µg/g). KDP was non-cytotoxic in vitro at ≤ 2 mg/mL concentration. There were no differences in the rat's weight gain compared to the control group (P > 0.05). Overall, the inclusion of the KDP in the diet was an effective substitute for casein protein at 50% and KDP has the potential to be used in the food industry as a novel dietary protein, free of fat and carbohydrate.

Assessment of reusable graphene wool adsorbent for the simultaneous removal of selected 2-6 ringed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from aqueous solution.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency categorized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as hazardous to humans upon acute and/or chronic exposure. This study investigated the simultaneous adsorption of several PAHs onto graphene wool (GW), thereby providing holistic insights into the competitive adsorption of PAHs onto graphene-based materials. SEM, TEM and FTIR provided evidence for the adsorption of PAHs and successful regeneration of the adsorbent accompanied by distinct morphological changes. Isotherm experiments revealed that adsorption of PAHs was significantly influenced by hydrophobic interactions between the sorbate and hydrophobic surface of GW. The Freundlich multilayer isotherm model best fit the experimental data obtained for both multi-component PAH and single-solute experiments as indicated by the Error Sum of Squares (SSE) obtained from nonlinear regression analysis. Experiments revealed that competitive adsorption had a limiting effect on the overall adsorption capacity as qmax and Kd were higher in single-solute than multi-component PAH experiments. The results suggest that partition distribution coefficients (Kd) between the solid-liquid interphase played a significant role in the overall adsorption and a positive correlation between Kd and LogKow of PAHs was established in single-solute experiments. Sorption-desorption experiments revealed that PAHs were adsorbed with a maximum removal efficiency of 100% at an optimum GW dosage of 2 g/L. Adsorption thermodynamics revealed that PAH adsorption onto GW is spontaneous and endothermic. The adsorbent was regenerated and reused for up to six times and its efficiency remained fairly constant.

Reverse engineering of a wool fibre to mimic the structural hierarchy of a gecko's foot.

The adhesion generated by a gecko's foot is realised by a structural hierarchy that is also present inside the cortex of a wool fibre. Both structures are based on the same fibril building blocks that belong to theα-keratin family. We show here that this hierarchical structure can be released from a Merino wool fibre with a combination of formic acid refluxing with agitation and trypsin digestion with ultrasonication. Thus, the cuticle scales are shown to be removed from wool yarns by mass-loss, FTIR spectroscopy and SEM followed by the breakdown of the cortex to release macrofibrils at the surface of the remaining yarn. SEM and AFM evidence are presented for the exposure of macrofibrils at the surface of cross-sections of descaled, fibrillated wool fibres. Adhesion measurements in the AFM show that regions of the treated wool have high adhesion, up to 58 nN, consistent with exposure of nanoscale macrofibrils. This exposure is not however homogeneous across the entirety of the cross-sectioned surface of a yarn and further digestion is required to optimise the depth profile of the exposure for direct comparison with the macroscale compliance and adhesion of a gecko's foot. Nonetheless, the current work has developed an experimental route to reserve engineer wool back to sub-unit macrofibrils, in order to replicate the format and to some extent the adhesive properties of a gecko's hierarchal foot structure.