Wool is a natural fiber and a raw material for making felted items and yarn for knitting and weaving. In the spring and fall, wool is gathered from animals, washed, dried, sorted, scratched, and spun into thread. Shorn wool is called molt. Wool cut off with scissors from a live sheep is extensible, pliable and soft. Thanks to the twisting of fibers and their scaly structure, it provides good air flow and heat retention.