The purpose of this study is to investigate the change of the chemical properties of wool treated with six kinds of alkali (NaOH, Naac03, NH40H, NH2CH3CH30H, TMAH and BTMAH) with or without CTAB. Content of bound fatty acid liberated from wool surface, elemental composition and allw6rden time were measured to compare the surface modification of untreated and alkali treated wool. Also, the chemical degradation of the fiber was investigated by measuring cystine contents and urea-hydrogensulfite solubility. The result were as follows: 1. By the alkali treatment of wool, the covalently bound fatty acid of the epicuticle was removed and the allworden time was shortened, and in the case of wool treated with TMAH, BTMAH, the allw6rden sacs were formed unevenly and rarely. Also, cystine contents and urea-hydrogensulfite solubility were decreased by alkali treatment on wool. 2. The modification of epicuticle and the chemical degradation of wool were occurred due to alkaline hydrolysis in the order of TMAH, BTMAH > NaOH, Na3c03> NH2CH3CHaOH, NH40H. 3. As a treating time increased, the modification of epicuticle and chemical degradation of wool were accelerated. By the addition of CTAB to the alkali solution, the modification of epicuticle was increase, and the cystine contents and urea-hydrogensulfite solubility were reduced than that of wool teated with alkli without CTAB due to reduction of negative charge on the wool surface by the adhesion of CTAB.