Why use wool?

Wool is the natural fibre that science cannot match for its versatility, practicality and superiority. Scientists have not been able to produce a single fiber that can duplicate all of its properties. Wool breathes with your body providing warmth during winter, while absorbing your body's moisture during summer to keep you cooler.

Wool traps little pockets of air between its fibers, which insulates you against cold and heat.

Most importantly it keeps its good appearance. Wool will give you many years of wear with proper regular cleaning.

Wool's natural insulation and thermal qualities reduces hot spots and helps create a dry, well ventilated bed.

Wool is renowned for its fire safety. Wool is difficult to ignite, does not spread flames easily and has self-extinguishing properties.

Wool can be safely dry cleaned.

Wool is supremely rich; just touching it conveys its luxurious handle.

Wool can absorb up to 30% of it's weight in water before it even feels damp. It is naturally static resistant too.

Wool fibre has an external layer called the epicuticle, which resists soiling and water, although it does admit water in the form of vapour.

Wools natural ability to reduce the moisture level in the bed, reduces the ability for organisms such as moulds, mildew and dust mites to thrive.   This is important for people who have allergies.

Sleep Research and Thermophsiology

Wool is the natural fibre that science cannot match for its versatility, practicality and superiority. Scientists have not been able to produce a single fiber that can duplicate all of its properties. Wool breathes with your body providing warmth during winter, while absorbing your body's moisture during summer to keep you cooler.

The hot topic in sleep research these days is THERMOPHSIOLOGY. This is the study of the body's internal temperature, the surrounding humidity level and its effect on the quality of our sleep. Thermal balance is probably the single greatest detriment to a good nights sleep.

The human body is like a running engine, it is constantly generating heat. Our body has to keep its internal body temperature around 37C° for optimal operating efficiency. To achieve this, our body regulates its temperature through a process called perspiration. At rest, our body releases on average one ounce of perspiration per hour. In the process of one night's sleep, this can amount to 8-9 ounces of perspiration. This perspiration has to be removed, so as not to affect a good nights sleep.

Using a synthetic mattress and bedding traps moisture around our body, causing higher humidity and temperature. As a result of this our heart rate, blood pressure and perspiration level increase to try and reduce our body's temperature. This can cause our sleep to become shallower, which causes there to be less sub-REM sleep. Sub-REM sleep is the deeper sleep stage, which is important for tissue relaxation and rest.

The most common misconception is that wool is best suited exclusively for warmth in cold conditions. This could not be further from the truth.

Wool can absorb up to 30% of its own weight in water vapor, compared to 1-2% for acrylic and polyester fibres. When wool is used close to the body it creates a microclimate it. This microclimate increases the efficiency of the body's cooling process by drawing away perspiration/moisture, and dissipating it in to the surrounding environment. Because of this the amount of energy the body has to expend to cool itself is reduced.

From a study in sleep patterns undertaken in Australia, the main health benefits from sleeping with wool were observed. The amount of movement during a normal night's sleep was less in comparison to the same person sleeping on the same bed without using wool. Firstly, this is due to the wool's natural ability to assist the body in its temperature regulation, and secondly, it was found that the wool's pile naturally cushioned the body, reducing the loads being placed on the body's pressure points, creating the platform for a better night's sleep.

Because of the wools natural ability to reduce the moisture level in the bed, it reduces the ability for organisms such as moulds, mildew and dust mites to thrive in the bed. This is important for people who have allergies.