To determine if fabric is 100 percent wool, soak a small swatch of it in chlorine bleach for about eight hours. If the swatch dissolves completely, is significantly smaller, or has clearly disintegrated, it’s all wool, not a blend. Some wool fabrics have finishes that inhibit the action of the bleach and may not disintegrate entirely-if in doubt, try washing a swatch thoroughly to remove any finishes, then perform the bleach test.

– Laura Ziemer, Portland, Ore

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