Question

The term ‘hanks’ is used with reference to

• A. Wool carbonization
• B. Wool quality
• C. Wool canary
• D. Wool shrinkage

Hint:

Finer wool = more hanks per pound = higher quality count (e.g., Merino wool).
Coarser wool = fewer hanks per pound = lower quality count (e.g., carpet wool).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
In the textile and wool industries, grading systems classify raw wool based on its fineness and spinning capacity.
The Bradford (or English) spinning system measures this using a unit of length called a "hank."

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
A "hank" is a specific length of wound yarn. For wool, a standard hank is defined as 560 yards of single-ply yarn.
The Bradford system grades wool quality by the number of hanks of yarn that can be spun from one pound of clean wool top.
For example, a wool graded as "64s" means that one pound of that wool can be spun into 64 hanks of yarn (each 560 yards long).
Finer wool fibers can be spun into more hanks of thin yarn, resulting in a higher quality grade (e.g., 70s or 80s).
Coarser wool fibers yield fewer hanks (e.g., 40s or 48s).
Therefore, the term "hanks" is directly used to evaluate and define wool quality.
It is not used to measure chemical carbonization, canary yellow staining, or processing shrinkage.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The term "hanks" is a measurement unit used to determine wool quality.