- The Benefits of Wool

Natural Bedding – Sheep’s Wool Guide

Sheep’s wool has been used in the UK for thousands of years to make products of all kinds but in the 1950s and 1960s synthetic fibres were introduced and became all the rage for bedding and duvets. However, natural, traditional wool as a bedding material is making a big come-back for those people looking for a natural material which is proven to offer more restful sleep, proven health benefits and greater value for money.

Special breeds of sheep farmed in the UK that produce some of the best wool duvets:

Blue Faced Leicester – originally bred in Northumberland with very fine, lightweight, curly, wool 

Downs – native to the Downs in the south of England with dense, firm and fine-quality wool

Hebridean – originated on the islands of the west coast of Scotland with bouncy, resilient wool

Herdwicke - native to the Lake District fells with distinctive, thick fleece to keep out the cold and dry out quickly after the downpours! 

Welsh Mountain – an ancient breed dating back to the Middle Ages in Wales with dense, fine and soft wool.

Benefits of sheep’s wool Bedding

It’s naturally renewable and sustainable.

Its production does not cause unnecessary cruelty to animals. 

It retains its shape because each strand of wool is naturally crimped (like having very curly hair – if you pull a strand it returns to its original shape every time.) No matter how much you crush a woollen duvet its resilient fibres keep it fluffy, soft and evenly plump: you stay warm with no cold spots!

It keeps you dry, warm and comfortable. Each strand of wool is made up of thousands of air pockets which trap warmth and absorb your body moisture. The moisture evaporates into the air, unlike synthetic duvets which retain a high percentage of water constantly.

It’s easy to care for. Only some wool duvets and pillows are washing machine and tumble drier friendly. Generally you can keep them fresh by airing on a hot sunny day and very occasionally dry cleaning if you feel you must!

It’s naturally fire resistant which means it doesn’t burn easily. (That’s one of the reasons why wool is becoming popular as an insulating material in the home.)

It helps to reduce the damp conditions and humidity in bedding which encourage the dust mites, mildew and mould that cause asthma and allergies in so many people.

It’s good for your pocket! Sheep’s wool bedding will last for many years without needing to be replaced.

It’s good for the planet! When you eventually replace your sheep’s wool bedding it’s 100% biodegradable and recyclable.

It’s good for the economy! Buying wool helps small sheep farmers who are passionate about developing and raising sustainable flocks of specialist or rare breeds of sheep for quality fleeces which are eco-friendly and bring great value to you, the customer.

Tips for choosing sheep’s wool bedding:

The insulation level of wool bedding is measured by grams per square meter, not Togs as in synthetic materials.

As a guide to help you choose the right duvet for you:

300 -350 grams is a light weight duvet suitable for spring, summer and autumn. (Or for winter, if you’re a very hot individual!)

400 – 450 grams is suitable for most seasons of the year, unless we’re having a heat wave or a freezing cold winter

500 + grams is suitable for freezing cold winters or people, like me, who feel the cold!