why wool?
Wool: the original high-performance fleece
For thousands of years, wool has been one of the most important natural fibers in the world. Synthetic fibers, in addition to creating multi-level problems for the ecosystem and society, have not been able to match all of wool's exceptional properties:
Benefits of Wool
Pure, natural wool has been used by humans for centuries for warmth and comfort in both hot and cold climates. In more recent times many new synthetic materials have appeared and the benefits of natural wool have largely been forgotten.
Yet, wool is a remarkably versatile fiber. It has comfort, style, texture, coolness, resilience, wrinkle recovery, drape, elasticity, absorption, tenacity and warmth. Because of these many unique attributes, wool gives superior performance to man made fibers.
Some of the health benefits of wool:
Pure natural wool is also:
Pure, natural wool has been used by humans for centuries for warmth and comfort in both hot and cold climates. In more recent times many new synthetic materials have appeared and the benefits of natural wool have largely been forgotten.
Yet, wool is a remarkably versatile fiber. It has comfort, style, texture, coolness, resilience, wrinkle recovery, drape, elasticity, absorption, tenacity and warmth. Because of these many unique attributes, wool gives superior performance to man made fibers.
Some of the health benefits of wool:
- Wool regulates body temperature – Wool's scaling and crimp make it easier to spin the fleece by helping the individual fibers attach to each other, so they stay together. Because of the crimp, wool fabrics have a greater bulk than other textiles, and retain air, which causes the product to retain heat. Insulation works both ways: many cultures use wool clothes to keep heat out and protect the body. It produces warmth in winter without overheating and it keeps you cooler on summer nights because of its natural moisture-wicking properties.
- Wool is highly water-resistant - While wool can be made to absorb water by submerging and wringing, falling raindrops and snowflakes get caught in the fuzz and can be brushed off. Wool absorbs a high volume of moisture, so it prevents the body from getting chilled by damp air, and also wicks sweat from the skin. This makes it breathable and extremely comfortable next to the skin. It prevents the clammy, cold feeling you may experience when wearing some types of synthetic clothing and sweating.
- Wool is hypoallergenic – it is resistant to bacteria, mold and mildew which can trigger allergic reactions in some people.
- Wool is flame-resistant – Because of its unique chemical structure, wool is difficult to ignite. It won’t flame or melt so it will not cling to the skin and cause serious hot melt burns like many synthetics.
- Dust-mites don’t like wool – dust mites need moisture to survive and they are more readily found in synthetic materials. Dust mite allergens are the leading trigger for asthma attacks.
Pure natural wool is also:
- Eco-friendly – wool comes from the replenishing fleece of sheep, making it a natural, renewable resource. Try as they may, scientists have not been able to reproduce the properties of wool synthetically.
- Sustainable – sheep grow a new fleece of wool each year. What is more, sheep live on vegetation, which is also self replenishing.
- Animal friendly – no sheep are killed in the harvest of wool.
- Biodegradable –with growing concern about discarded products, the biodegradable aspect of wool is more important than ever. A wool product lasts for decades and when it is no longer of use it can be returned to the earth for natural recycling.
- Durable - Wool fibers can be bent 20,000 times without breaking (compared to cotton, which breaks after 3,000 bends or rayon, which can be bent only 75 times without breaking), and have the power to elongate (it can be stretched 25 – 30% before breaking), stretch and recover. This natural elasticity and memory returns to its natural shape. Wool is like a spring, it has a natural crimp that allows it to return to its natural shape even after being stretched by up to 30%. Its complex coiled structure gives it great resilience against becoming flat and hard, so you can count on wool to keep its shape.
- Easily cleaned - wool fabrics clean easily because the outside surface of the wool fiber consists of a series of overlapping scales (similar to the feathers on a bird), which means that dirt sits on the surface of the fiber, making it easy to remove.
- Value for money - wool products can last for 15, 20 years and more. While wool may cost more than a synthetic substitute initially, in the long run wool offers the lowest cost and best choice. Wool products out-perform and out-wear all other fabrics.