There are so many great things to love about wool. We are almost spoiled for choice! We can all agree that yarn choices can be a little overwhelming when it comes to knitting and crocheting. But it’s not all bad.
There are so many great reasons to love wool. Today, we will highlight why wool is the best possible choice for any of your knitting projects, giving you even more reasons to love your stash! Let’s dive right in.
What is Great About Wool? | 12 Reasons to Love Wool
-
Wool Comes In So Many Colours
If you buy wool from a shop, you might find that some wool colours are actually undyed. And that’s simply because not all sheep are white!
You will be able to find wool in all different shades of brown, beige and grey, and you can even find black wool!
If you prefer vibrant colours, don’t worry.
Wool holds dye very well, so you won’t struggle to find the perfect shade for your upcoming project. Some yarn companies even experiment with overdyeing certain natural sheep colours. That brings even more depth into the colour shades.
-
Wool is Hypoallergenic
Wool has allergy-reducing properties. Not only is it a 100% natural product, but it also absorbs harmful volatile organic compounds that come from car exhausts, cleaning products and plastic.
That means that having wool around you is good for both you and for the environment.
-
Wool is Versatile
We have already talked about the different colours, but let’s talk about all the different sheep breeds.
Did you know that each type of sheep has its own kind of wool with its own characteristics?
There are more than 200 different kinds of sheep breeds worldwide, so you can imagine the endless possibilities presented in wool. Some are very soft, others are extremely warm, and you’ll have plenty of options to try most of them.
With experience, you will find that you might prefer one breed over another, which makes knitting with wool so interesting.
-
Wool is Super Warm
Wool is much warmer than any man-made fibre, and you will find that it keeps you warm for much longer.
At the same time, wool absorbs moisture, and therefore you don’t feel clammy like you would when wearing a polyester jumper.
If you think about the sheep that live outside in the windiest conditions, you will agree that their wool must be warm enough to keep them happy.
-
Wool is Cool
No, we didn’t lie. Whilst wool is very warm, it can also be cool!
The wool absorbs the moisture from the air and keeps a dry layer of air around your skin.
Therefore, it works as a perfect temperature regulator.
-
It’s Environmentally Friendly
Wool is a 100% natural product. Wool is compostable, meaning that once you have worn out your handmade garment, it will leave no trace like microplastics. Even during the washing process, you aren’t harming the environment.
-
Wool is Natural
You will hear that some people say that it is better to use man-made fibres as it isn’t nice for the sheep to be sheared.
In fact, sheep need to be sheared as they can’t survive without it!
They would overheat in the summer months; the wool might become too heavy for them to walk and their ability to graze might become compromised.
-
It’s Really Soft!
Most of us know how itchy wool can be, but it doesn’t have to be. Simply try out different kinds of sheep breeds and find a soft wool enough for your skin.
Trust us, wool can be really soft!
-
Wool is Affordable
In today’s world, wool has become a side product that is no longer used by the fashion industry. Most store-bought fabrics are made out of man-made fibres or consist of fibre blends.
Many sheep farmers are now paying to have the sheep sheared and even need to dispose of the wool as there’s less widespread demand for it on the market.
You will find that if you choose local wool, you might find some really good bargains and end up with a high-quality handmade jumper grown locally to you.
-
Wool has History
Roughly since the Ice Age (11000-13000 years ago), we lived with sheep. Over all these years, we have used their wool to produce clothes. There was no such thing as a handknitted sweater in the early stages, but people would wear their sheepskin around the shoulders.
Isn’t it amazing that we have learned to live with sheep? While a whole sheepskin might not look so great nowadays, a beautiful chunky sweater provides all the same benefits, and it looks good too!
-
Wool is Waterproof
Ok, it isn’t 100% waterproof, but it is water repellant.
The less the wool is treated, the more lanolin is in the wool, making it even more water-resistant.
-
Wool Washes Well
In fact, 100% woollen sweaters don’t need to be washed as often, unlike acrylic sweaters. Wool is dirt repellant, and as long as you haven’t taken a mud bath, you can just hang it outside overnight to air.
Conclusion
Wool is an amazing natural resource that is very underrated. It is environmentally friendly, soft to wear, pretty weatherproof and works well to regulate your temperature, whether it is hot or cold… There are plenty of reasons to love wool. Aside from our 12, can you think of any more?
If you like knitting and crocheting with wool as much as we do, you should definitely go and check out our range of knitting needles and crochet hooks and make the most of all the lovely features of wool.
