What Are The Different Types Of Wool?

What Are The Different Types Of Wool?

What Type of Wool Is Used In Mattresses

There are many types of wool including; Sheep's wool; Merino Wool; Mohair Wool; Angora Wool; Cashmere Wool; and Alpaca Wool. Sheep's Wool is used in mattresses and futon manufacturing as its properties such as loft, crimp, and flame-resistance, make it highly desirable. There are two distinct types of wool that mattress manufacturers use, natural or organic. There are also differences in the type of sheep's wool as well. Lambs wool, for instance, is thin, white, and straight with little to no crimp, while on the other hand, wool from mature sheep is thicker, comes in white, black , or brown, and long or short fibers. In all cases of wool, its ability to wick away moisture allows for temperature control. Wool releases moisture faster than any other fiber.

Organic Wool

Organic wool is perhaps the most sought after wool in the world. Organic wool is monitored at every point in its production, from birth to shearing. The land the sheep grazes on to the care of the sheep and humane husbandry practices must all adhere to strict guidlines set by the Global Organic Textile Standard. The organic wool produced in the United States is so small that if you can find GOTS Certified Organic Wool in a mattress, futon or topper you are very lucky indeed. This limited supply and high cost has caused manufacturers to seek out alternatives to the supreme quality of organic wool for other types such as "eco-wool" and other natural wool fibers.

Lamb's Wool

Lamb’s wool is generally collected during the slaughtering of the lambs for meat and most lamb meat comes from New Zealand. Most organic mattresses use organically grown quilted New Zealand lamb’s wool quilted inside the organic case. The sheep are not herded for wool, but for meat and the lamb’s wool is a bi-product of meat production. This wool is very thin, straight and fine and not great for loftily long-lasting mattress, futons or toppers. The best wool to use is mature sheep that are herded in the open air for their beautiful wool, have long lives and live happily in the meadows.

Wool Quality

The Micron System, the most technical and accurate system of grading, was largely developed at the Denver Wool Laboratory, USDA. The system separates wool into 16 grades according to the average fiber diameter as measured by a micrometer. Lambs wool is very fine small micron while sheep wool is much thicker, crimped and stronger.

 

What Are The Different Types Of Wool?

 

Today's industry provides a broad choice of wool fibers, so the manufacturer may select those best suited for their end-product. The grades of wool vary with some breeds of sheep producing finer quality wool than others.

 

What Are The Different Types Of Wool?

 

What Are The Different Types Of Wool?

 

What Are The Different Types Of Wool?

 

What Are The Different Types Of Wool?

 


 

The Best Combination

The best wool mattresses are usually a blend of different types of wool fiber. This blend provides a combination of long and medium crimp wool that is naturally crimped without any added process that can add unwanted chemicals.

You can find this information and more at http://www.sheepusa.org/

• Click to learn more about Why Should I Get A Chemical Free Mattresses?.

• Click to check out some great organic wool mattresses.

• Click to learn more about What Does Crimped Wool Mean?.

• Click to learn more about Where Does Wool Come From?.

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