Monday 23 May 2011

Simple wool keeps sheep dry. It will keep your baby dry too.

This week is the week of the  'Flats & Handwashing Challenge' from Dirty Diaper Laundry.
 
As well as joining in the challenge we thought that we might encourage you to use flats whilst showing that woollen nappy covers are a great alternative to traditional plastic pants.

Between the 23rd-30th of May we will be giving away a FREE terry towel nappy to everyone who orders one of our 100% Wool Nappy Covers.

Our covers are specifically designed to be used with traditional nappies and are handknitted with 100% Australian wool, lanolised to keep baby drier. They have an elasticised waist band and legs for a better fit and to keep those little accidents contained.
 
Why use woollen nappy covers you might ask?
Wool keeps sheep dry. Why? Wool's structure produces an elegant combination of water repellence, breathability and moisture absorbency.

At a microscopic level wool consists of a series of overlapping scales (called cuticles) which have a tendency to repel water droplets. This structure, in combination with a thin coating of lanolin (an oil secreted from the sheep's skin) causes water to run off the fibres. (The duck's back effect is also a sheep's back effect.) Natural water repulsion makes wool a good candidate for a nappy cover
 
But there's more. Many artificial fibres also repel water, but that alone does not make them a good choice for a nappy cover-a plastic bag would fill this condition. It is important that the fabric also be able to breathe, or the temperature next to baby's skin will rise. Breathability (and hence reduced skin temperature) is an important factor in preventing nappy rash. When a woven wool fabric is boiled, the fibres become entangled and they form a lofty mesh with many tiny air pockets. This process is called fulling. Fulled wool is a highly water-resistant, breathable fabric.
There are artificial fibres that both repel water and breathe-Goretex is one such fabric. The third important property of wool is that it also has the ability to absorb moisture at a microscopic level. Beneath the water-repellent outer cuticle of the wool fibre is a highly porous core. The voids in this core can store minuscule water droplets-up to 30% by weight of the fibre itself-so that wool is able to both absorb and transmit moisture simultaneously. This is a very elegant, balanced mechanism, and there is no artificial fibre that can do this.
This threefold combination of water-repellence, breathability and moisture absorbency make wool unparalleled as a choice for nappy covers.
It is also worth noting that even if an artificial fibre could be manufactured that exactly duplicated the properties of wool, it would still be a less desirable choice. Without exception, attempts to mimic nature are highly energy and resource intensive, even if they achieve their goal. Simple wool keeps sheep dry. It will keep your baby dry too.

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