From San Diego, at a meeting of the American Chemical Society
You accidentally toss your favorite wool sweater into the wash, and it reemerges toddler size. To prevent such accidents, scientists in Austria have created an enzyme treatment to protect wool clothes from shrinkage.
Wool fibers are composed of keratin proteins bundled into microfibrils. The fibrils are wrapped in a natural scaly cuticle. When wool is washed, the scales interlock, preventing the fibers from moving freely. This interlocking prevents the fabric from retaining its original size.