Let's Talk About:
Same Colorway, Different Fibers
A WHITE CANVAS
First off, and most simply, not all bare 'white' undyed fiber is the same shade of white. I have even dyed non-white fiber for a unique undertone of grey or brown or whatever color the natural wool was to begin with. Pictured here are each of my yarn bases. Notice how some are significantly whiter than the others? That's because those are the superwash yarns.
Notice how some are significantly whiter than the others? Those are the superwash yarns.
Superwash is a term used to identify yarn that has undergone a chemical treatment to minimize felting under most circumstances. The scales of the wool have basically been flattened so they can't tangle with each other. This makes the for a smoother yarn.
Superwash wool also absorbs water faster, and thus takes dye quicker than non-superwash fibers. An example of this can be seen in the picture here demonstrating Aspire dyed on the LUNA (superwash) and AQUA (non-superwash) yarn bases. LUNA has more contrast between the turquoise and white areas, whereas AQUA shows more blending and less white. Notice how the spinning fiber (FALKLAND + CORRIEDALE) in the picture has complete sections that are more turquoise than others? That is because turquoise dye takes longer to strike than chestnut. While not noticeable in the non-superwash yarn, the greater volume of the unspun fiber gives a chance for the turquoise dye to spread more as it takes to the fiber. It is the same colorway, but the nature of the different fiber bases or preparation creates a different final result that retains the uniqueness of each respective starting product.
Just for fun, here's an image of how I handspun some FALKLAND + CORRIEDALE:
Yet another example of how the same colorway can look so unique, but still be the same Aspire!