Wool as a Flame Retardant and Temperature Regulator
For many years, the clothing industry predominantly used wool to make top-quality outfits because of its numerous characteristics, such as durability, allergy resistance, and warmth. On the other hand, the mattress and bedding industry used this natural fiber for a different reason; fire retardancy.
You'll most likely find a layer of wool right beneath its cotton cover, inside your comforter, or encased in your pillow. Besides comfort, wool protects your bedding from being engulfed in flames in case of a fire.
Read on to learn more on why you should consider wool bedding products.
What is Organic Wool?
Wool is the fleece sheared off wool-bearing animals like organic sheep or goats. Wool is classified as organic in the US when wool farmers meet specific requirements. These include:
- feeding the animals with organically certified feeds and forage
- growing chemical-free pastures and feeds
- practicing healthy livestock keeping
- breeding the animals without hormones and genetic engineering boosts
- processing the wool without pesticides or other toxic chemicals
What are the Benefits of Organic Wool?
Some of the benefits of organic wool include:
Temperature Regulation
Just because wool is good at keeping you warm during the cold season doesn't mean that it will let you overheat in the summer. Many manufacturers describe wool as a natural insulator because it keeps your body temperature regulated, no matter the season.
Wool fibers are poor conductors of heat, and therefore can't pull body heat from your body when sleeping. Instead, the natural fibers have tiny pores (air pockets) that evenly distribute your body temperature to keep you warm. However, if it's too hot, the wool absorbs moisture from your body, allowing you to sleep cool.
Wool also doesn't wilt or crease when exposed to hot temperatures. As a result, the trapped warm air escapes, allowing your body to cool off during hot nights.
This characteristic makes wool an all-year-round material, whether you're using a comforter, blanket, pillow, or duvet made from this material.
Durability
Organic wool lasts for many years because of the uniqueness of wool fiber. In addition, some wool products last a lifetime with proper care.
The natural fibers contain keratin, a type of protein found in human hair. This protein makes hair stronger, healthier, and protects it from breaking. Similarly, keratin makes the wool fibers stronger than most textiles, enabling wool to last for a very long time without disintegrating.
To put this into perspective, a comforter made of wool can last for an average of 15 to 25 years before getting old. On the other hand, a typical comforter lasts about 10 years.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable
Wool is biodegradable, and takes as little as four months to decompose completely. Since it's organic, it makes manufacturing sustainable and clean. You can feel good about keeping your environment clean and healthy by sleeping on sustainable, organic wool bedding. Plus, organic wool certified by the Global Organic Textile Standard is manufactured using the best practices in environment and social responsibility.
Fire Retardant
Mattresses, and many other household items, must pass fire resistance regulations for safety reasons. Unfortunately, most manufacturers opt for cheap chemical flame retardants to meet these requirements. However, some of these chemicals can be harmful to human health, and the environment as well.
Wool is naturally flame resistant, and doesn't cause any harm to sleepers or the environment.
And, given that wool is inherently flame resistant, wool bedding is therefore a better option for toppers used on organic mattresses, pillows, and blankets, because it is flame retardant.
Animal-Friendly
Although wool-bearing animals such as the merino sheep are the primary source of wool in most countries worldwide, the harvesting process doesn't harm the animals. Instead, shearing the animal's fleece protects it from parasitic infections and diseases. It also helps the animals stay cool during warmer months.
Hypoallergenic
Wool is naturally resistant to allergens, mold, mildews, dust mites, and other allergy-triggering microorganisms. Therefore, it is safe to use for allergy-sensitive sleepers, children, and vulnerable sleepers.
Soft and Light
Wool batting is feathery light, and feels soft, comfortable, and soothing. For this reason, you don't have to worry about packing heavy bags when camping or moving if you have wool bedding.
What are the Drawbacks of Conventional Wool?
The Organic Trade Association warns that conventional wool isn't safe for the environment or humans. Here's why:
Harsh Chemicals
Conventional sheep farming doesn't follow all the guidelines required to classify wool as organic. For example, wool farmers may use pesticides and insecticides to control parasites infesting their livestock. These chemicals eventually contaminate the environment where the animals live, including the soil and water used by humans.
Malathion is one of the chemicals found in many pesticides used in conventional sheep farms. If humans get exposed to high doses of malathion, they develop headaches, dizziness, nausea, and difficulty breathing, among other symptoms.
Low-Quality Wool
Some farmers use genetically modified feeds and medicines to speed up the growth of wool-bearing animals. However, this practice promotes overcrowding conditions for the affected animals. As a result, the animals become unhealthy, and compete unfairly for food and space. In addition, such farmers are often eager to harvest the wool for quick money, resulting in low-grade conventional wool batting.
Environmental Hazards
Besides humans, the numerous chemicals used in conventional wool farming and processing also affect other living things in the environment. For example, malathion harms fish by causing gill damage and difficulties in swimming. It can also damage some plants, and contaminate soil and water.
Organic Wool is a Natural Flame Retardant
Here are some of the reasons organic wool resists burning naturally.
- It takes a high ignition temperature of over 570 degrees Celsius to ignite wool. It has high concentrations of water and nitrogen and would need heightened levels of oxygen to ignite.
- Wool self extinguishes. If ignited, it burns for a short while, and then gets extinguished by the nitrogen and water.
- The small air pockets that create an insulating layer on the wool fiber also make the wool fire resistant.
- Wool doesn't melt, drip, or spread the fire as plastics and fabrics do. Instead, it smolders for a short while before self-extinguishing.
11 Must-Have Organic Wool Products From PlushBeds
At PlushBeds, you'll find organic bedding ranging from organic latex mattresses and toppers to bamboo bed sheets and organic wool bedding. So, if you are looking forward to upgrading your bedroom, and improving your sleep experience with organic wool bedding, you've come to the right place. Here are the numerous options from PlushBeds:
1. Natural Wool Mattress Topper
This wool mattress topper is made with 100% certified organic wool for plush and luxurious comfort. The certified organic wool mattress topper is handmade, and carefully stitched for durability, and many nights of exceptional sleep.
2. Natural Wool and Cotton Mattress Pad
The Natural Wool and Cotton Mattress Pad is ideal for all seasons of the year because it lets you sleep cool in hot summers and warm during cold winters. It's also great at relieving pressure points because it's a blend between cotton and wool, which are soft and light.
3. Handmade Wool Pillow
For a soft, cuddly sleep, this is the pillow for you. Besides fire resistance, the Handmade Wool Pillow will keep allergens, such as dust mites, away, and allow you to breathe better all night long.
4. Wool and Latex Side Sleeper Pillow
Nothing beats the comfort of the contoured Wool and Latex Side Sleeper Pillow. The responsive latex offers maximum support and pressure relief while the wool cushions your head, neck, and shoulders for the ultimate sleep experience.
5. Wool Side Sleeper Pillow
The Wool Side Sleeper Pillow is contoured to reduce pressure on the shoulders. You can also adjust the pillow to suit your comfort, thanks to the light and soft wool feel.
6. Adjustable Natural Wool Pillow
The Adjustable Natural Wool Pillow suits all types of sleepers because it is customizable. Unlike the zoned memory foam pillows, you can fluff the wool fill however you like before you sleep.
7. Natural Wool Mattress Pad
Most mattress pads are thin and uncomfortable, but not the Natural Wool Mattress Pad. This wool mattress pad is light, soft, and springy. In addition, it is excellent at temperature regulation throughout the year, and relieves pressure points for plush comfort.
8. Cotton and Wool Mattress Protector
Unlike the conventional protectors made of vinyl, PlushBeds' Cotton and Wool Mattress Protector is all organic. Choose a protector that keeps your mattress clean while adding a layer of luxurious comfort to your bed.
9. Luxury Handmade Natural Wool Comforter
This premium quality wool comforter reenergizes your sleep all night long. It's carefully handmade using chemical-free and hypoallergenic wool to keep you safe from allergic reactions. Additionally, the organic cotton sateen cover adds a luxurious finish to the comforter.
10. 100% Organic Cotton & Wool Lanadown Comforter
You'll love the incomparable comfort of the 100% Organic Cotton & Wool Lanadown Comforter the very first instance you feel it. This comforter contains down feathers and wool that blend perfectly. The cover is made using organic cotton, and sewn tactfully to maximize its loftiness.
11. Natural Wool Comforter
The Natural Wool Comforter is 100% eco-friendly, soft, light, and perfect for all seasons. You also don't have to worry about allergic reactions, toxins, or degrading the environment with PlushBeds Natural Wool Comforter.
Sleeping on organic wool bedding is the best way to ensure you have a healthy sleep experience while keeping your environment free of toxins. These PlushBeds wool products are all you need to achieve these goals.
Here at PlusBeds, we offer amazing sales and discounts throughout the year to help you save money and get the most out of our organic wool products. So, whether you're looking for pillows, toppers, mattresses, beds, or bedding, you'll find them here at incredible prices. And, if you're a member of the military, a teacher, first responder, medical practitioner, or any other qualifying career, PlushBeds gives you an additional 5% off our wool products!
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