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Why Wool?

Written by EMMA OBRENNANPIZER

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Why Wool?
Wool is a natural wonder fabric as well as being a sustainable and renewable resource.
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wool cushion
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It had unique thermo regulating properties that keep you warm when it’s cold, and cool when it’s hot. Just like it does for the sheep!
When my son was a baby he was very sweaty, due to his heart condition. Often it would make him clammy and then cold, as he lay there sleeping in his wet clothes.
He needed his rest, and so did we, so it was always an awful decision whether we would wake him and change him to keep him dry, or let him sleep in his damp clothes.
No one ever wants to wake a sleeping baby, but often we did.
After some research I discovered wool has amazing moisture wicking properties. I got Emilio some thin and soft wool clothes, and was amazed at how much they worked to keep him dry when he was sweaty.
After that I invested in a beautiful wool sleeping bag for him, in a pretty hot air balloon design.
I recommend Lana Bambini if you want to check out woollen baby clothes, and Superlove for gorgeous merino sleeping bags.
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sheep
Sofia always wants to visit the sheep in the community flock near our house. 
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When it came to choosing a filling for my own cushions I decided to use wool.
After some research I wasn’t comfortable with the ethics of feather filling, and my husband hated the way feathers stuck out of am old duvet we had. (Please don’t ask him about it, he is really quite boring on the subject)
Often feathers are a by product of the meat industry, and removed after the bird is dead, but it seems live plucking is also a method used.
I knew I didn’t want to use any man made materials such as microfibre, as I wanted my products to be as safe and non toxic as possible.
If it was the right choice to use in my own home, I knew it was the right choice for Wilful Ink.
Wool has such great bounce and spring back. If it gets flattened you can simply open the cover and pull it apart to revitalise it. 
I wash mine with a special wool detergent in a bag on a low spin woollen wash at 30 degrees. (Honestly, everything is always being spilt on or wee'd on in my house)
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wool cushion filling
Washable (if you're careful!)
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Wool lasts for ages, and if it does end up being thrown away, it’s fully biodegradable.
I like the fact the sheep need shearing anyway, and they are not killed for the wool.
Wool was the best choice for my brand in terms of sustainability, non toxic qualities and animal welfare.
I’ve recently been looking deeper into the sheep industry to make sure the ethics of using wool are aligned with my own. I am committed to getting a better traceability of my wool and making sure the animals involved have had the best life possible. This means no harmful practices like mulesing.
It is hard to have proper traceability in a supply chain, but I am working on talking directly to ethical farms. If you know of any please do let me know and I will add them to my list. I am always trying to balance animal welfare with what is good for our planet as a whole.
Like anything, it’s a process. There are pros and cons to every material available, and we have to make a decision about what is important to us. That is why I have the option of just purchasing the cushion cover and adding your own filling if you prefer to use something different.
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wool inner cushion
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I chose wool because I am confident that wool is safe for your home, safe for your children and safe for our planet.
It also makes my cushions super bouncy and squishable, just like they should be. 
What's in your cushions at home? Let me know in the comments. 
Jul 03, 20   •  By EMMA
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