There's a TV commercial that tells us cotton is the fabric of our lives. Maybe so. But one wonders what the northern part of our country would do without wool. And how about our language? Wool has been woven into the English language in such a rich blend of metaphors and symbolism that it's hard to imagine being without it. Everyone knows that "to pull the wool over one's eyes" means to fool someone. Who hasn't been "fleeced" or cheated? If you're a dyed-in-the-wool New York Giant fan, you're the real deal but will have to wait till next year. And can anyone have any doubt about what "a wolf in sheep's clothing" means?

   Some of the more colorful words and meanings go back a bit. "Shoddy" originally meant fabric made of reused wool, and now can refer to anything that is of inferior quality. A "spinster" was an unmarried woman whose role in the family was to spin wool. Nowadays the word is redolent of sexism and political incorrectness. 

   Unlike sexism and political incorrectness however, wool has a history. The sheep industry began in central Asia 10,000 years ago and spinning started in 3500 B.C. Spun yarn was wound on a reel, called a weasel, which made a popping sound when a given yardage was reached. Hence, pop goes the weasel.

   You could almost call wool a miracle of nature because it's a renewable and recycling resource. It is at once versatile, durable, flexible and elastic. Because of its natural crimp, with a little rest wool has the ability to bounce back to its original shape after being pulled or stretched.

   Wool's versatility is vast because of the many variations of the breeds of sheep, climate and feeding conditions, and the particular location on the sheep's body from which it is taken. It can then be spun into a variety of weights, textures, finishes and colors.

   Wool is durable because it can bend back on itself 20,000 times without breaking. Cotton breaks at 3200 times, silk 1800 and rayon only 75 times. In wet conditions, wool absorbs up to 30 percent of its own weight without feeling damp. It is also flame-retardant. It's not only in the movies, but fire departments actually recommend wool blankets for smothering flames. Its flexibility makes it ideal for coats, jackets, shirts, socks, sportswear sweaters and outerwear.

   A woolen fabric is made from yarn that is as tightly twisted and has more loft than worsted yarn, so the fabric has a softer, fuzzier surface texture. Good examples are flannel, melton and tweed. Worsteds are highly twisted and finer, producing a smooth fabric with a clear, crisp surface such as gabardine.

   The variety of both fabrics seem endless; the ultrasoft challis, lightweight crepe, luxurious plush, knitted jersey, tough tweed, coarse Shetland, tartan, merino, serge, herringbone and jacquard. It used to be that around May or so that wool suits would be taken to the cleaners and put away until next fall. No more.

   The next time you're in the Fairfield Men's Store (SuitYourself.com) ask Naresh to make you feel the thumb test. You run your thumb up a piece of woolen fabric, then down. If they are both equally smooth, it's because the fabric is top-of-the-line with quality craftsmanship. The warp and the weft of the weaving process of the fabric are equal in both directions. That very same lightweight woolen suit can be worn all summer long because it breathes to allow air movement and hardly wrinkles because it's so strong and tightly woven.

   So watch out cotton. Wools that can be worn all summer may start giving you a run for our money