Milk Protein is a relatively new fiber, it originated in Italy and America in the 1930s to compete with wool. It is white in appearance and super soft due to its silk-like properties. Milk Protein fiber is great for those with sensitive skin! Due to it's anti-bacterial properties, it will wick moisture away from the body and is great for making socks, sportswear, undergarments, and other garments.
Milk Protein fiber is a blend of casein protein and the chemical acrylonitrile, which is used to make acrylic. It's made using a process that is similar to rayon/viscose, but because it's a regenerated protein fiber and not a regenerated cellulose fiber, it reacts like wool.
To make the fiber, milk is first dewatered, i.e. all the water content is taken out from it and then it is skimmed. A new bio-engineering technique is then applied to make a protein spinning fluid. This fluid is suitable for wet spinning process through which the final high-grade textile fiber is made. A solvent is used and micro-zinc ion is embedded in the fiber which gives it the characteristics of being bacteriostatic and durable.
Milk Fiber advantages: Superior in strength to wool! Milk fiber has been improved much since the 1930's when it was introduced in its raw form and is re-emerging as a man-made product that is much superior product to wool. Contains 17 amino acids and natural anti-bacterial properties...hint hint..socks... Same pH as human skin (great for sensitive skin!) Milk Fiber is environmentally friendly and is considered a "green" product. It has excellent dye-ability properties - uses reactive, acid or cationic dyes, as it is a protein. Can be blended with almost any other fiber. Milk Protein fiber is sometimes known as ARALAC, LANATIL, and MERINOVA.
This fiber does have a learning curve to it, I had the best luck spinning over the fold at first, but was able to spin in a worsted manner after some initial practice. It did not bloom as much as a wool, so for those that weave, so consider a sett on the higher threads per inch end if you choose to weave. I not only would buy again, this is a repeat purchase. Just a note I hope that PF will choose to let us include photos with our reviews, I would enjoy being able to provide them and it would make future purchases easier if I could see some examples of how various fibers and colorways spin up.
This is a beautiful spinning fiber with a bit of a learning curve as it is quite slippery. I had the most consistent result spinning over the fold and then made a wonderful 3-ply with tons of luster. Weavers should know this fiber did not bloom for me as much as a wool would, so plan to use the higher end of a sett for weaving.