Or more to the point, 10 Reasons Why I Love Wool.

Working with wool is something I love for many reasons. I thoroughly enjoy using all kinds of natural fibres within my wool crafts of course, and those of you who are familiar with my products will be used to seeing everything from cotton to jute making an appearance. Wool though, particularly British wool, has a very special place in my heart.

I’m still surprised when people ask me what makes me so passionate on the topic as I’d assumed it had been discussed to death over the years by enthusiastic knitters, spinners and felters everywhere. Apparently I was wrong! So let’s take a little look at why and if you’re interested in discovering more, you can follow some of the links I’ll provide as we go along.

The List!

1. First and foremost, wool is 100% natural.
2. Wool is completely biodegradable. It’s a sad but common sight to see farmers burying unwanted fleeces in their fields.
   

                 Raw Wool

3. Wool forms part of the natural carbon cycle.
4. Wool is anti microbial and odour resistant. Bear that in mind the next time you ask why anyone would knit a pair of socks!
   

                  Hand Knitted Wool Socks

5. Wool improves indoor air quality; making it a great option for rugs, carpets and home furnishings.
6. Wool is a renewable resource i.e. it can be used repeatedly because it’s replaced naturally.
7. It’s breathable which is better for clothing and bedding. Synthetic materials tend to make us sweat.
8. Wool crafts allow me to help secure the future of native sheep breeds. Blacker Yarns, along with many others working in unity, helped to collect, process, spin and dye Boreray wool in recent years. This has successfully upgraded the Boreray breed from critical to vulnerable in the most recent survey by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. How awesome is that?
9. Wool helps me to support my local economy. From independent hand dyers and wood carvers to local yarn shops and smallholders, every time I purchase tools and materials for my crafts, I’m putting money into another small business.
10. Safety! This amazing material is fire resistant and fire retardant. You’ll find it’s often used for toy stuffing, upholstery, carpets and host of other applications.

Start of a crochet blanket in merino wool

I could make more, equally compelling, points but I’m sure you get the gist. We’re incredibly lucky to live in a country that has an abundance of this natural material and if you’d like to know more about wool in general, check out the Campaign for Wool‘s site.