World War 2 Era Wool Unreliable?

[MondoFW]

I have heard, because of clothing restrictions during WW2, wool garments civilians had access to weren't great. The victory suit was likely to be worn to threads sooner than suits before or after the war. All my post-WW2 wool garments have endured their regular wear. The only vintage piece that hasn't is my WW2-era pair of trousers. The wool feels inherently crappier than my post-WW2 pants. With not even a week combined of wear, these have already accumulated a 2.5'' split in the seat. Again, my other pants that mostly consist of Bold Look era stuff, take a beating.

Has anyone noticed this trend with wartime wool garments? Has anyone had bad experiences with it? Are my torn trousers just a rare exception? I would like to hear it from you guys.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Do you have any photos? A lot of times it has to do with where the suits have been. If they have taken on moisture then have slowly dried out over time. Eventually, all the lanolin in the classic wool leaves the suit and depending on what other issues have caused it to decay over time, suiting can take on a stale feeling. I don't think it's a wartime issue as the mills making the suiting were the same as the ones making the materials used for the soldiers. Lower grade wools often dumped on the enlisted men, shorter fibers, rougher feel. Longer fiber smoother materials for officers. It was also a time when durability was more important than ever, and a rougher heavier more mottled texture is one that can take the test of time better than that solid smooth finish. I've had cloth that splits along the lines from the 20's and 30s and 40s, even seen 50s wools that aren't doing too well. I don't think it's a decade thing as much as it's a elements and decaying of the material issue

 

[EmergencyIan]

The only issue that I’ve noticed is with WWII era knits. Sweaters and scarves just don’t hold up, even if you get them in minty condition. They go to the dry cleaners, because it’s needed. The next thing you know, it’s got a little hole here and then a little hole there. This has happened to me several times with knitted sweaters and scarves. Maybe it’s just the nature of wool yarn. I’m not sure what it’s lifespan is. However, I own WWII era wool shirts and coats that are still in gear shape and hole free, even after cleaning and wearing as intended.

- Ian