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Wool, A Cold Human’s Best Friend

Wool, A Cold Human’s Best Friend

Wool, A Cold Human's Best Friend
Wool, A Cold Human's Best Friend
Photo: Pexels

Many thousands of years ago early homo sapiens were cold. After all, there isn’t that much in the way of fur on most humans, and bare skin doesn’t provide much protection in low temperatures. The shivering went on until some wise person happened to look at a sheep and think “I sure could use a coat like that!” And so, a long partnership between humans and animals began that continues to this very day, the production and use of natural wool. This amazing material isn’t only produced by sheep- rabbits, goats, and camelids like llamas and alpacas also grow very fine wool to share with their chilly human friends. Not only is wool warm and cosy, but it’s also highly fire resistant, making it the perfect choice for certain kinds of insulation as well as carpeting.

The plush softness of a wool carpet is a pleasure one simply must experience, once you feel the wonderful caress of its fibres on your toes you will want to lay it down everywhere in your home, there is no comparison to wool’s luxury. Wool is also tough and can resist a great deal of wear and tear over many years without noticeable distress. It’s easy to clean, fire resistant, environmentally sustainable, attractive, and most of all comfortable, what more could one ask for?

As our ancestors discovered to their delight, wool is an excellent material to fashion clothing from. Ice-cold floors on frosty mornings are no barrier to comfort when one is wearing a cosy pair of wool socks. A plush wool scarf wrapped around the neck can help prevent coughs and chills, and there’s nothing like the comfort of being surrounded by a big wool coat when out and about on a brisk wintry day. 

So, it’s been a mutually beneficial partnership between humans and their fuzzy wool providers. They get food, shelter, and protection, whilst we get to borrow their coats from them and stay nice and toasty. Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular wools:

Angora– The Angora rabbit produces this soft, fluffy wool that features excellent water-wicking capabilities so you can wear it in the rain. 

Mohair– The Angora goat grows this lustrous, durable wool. It’s lightweight but with good insulation for those frosty nights. 

Alpaca– This versatile wool from the South American camelid is lustrous, warm and durable, perfect for a mountain trek.

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Merino – Sheared from a Spanish sheep breed that has become very popular in Australia, this shiny, fine wool is excellent for regulating the body’s temperature, making it an excellent choice for athletic clothing.

You probably won’t be too surprised to hear that Australia is one of the largest wool producers in the world, and it’s always in demand, providing around 25% of the global market’s wool supply. Not only that, but it’s famed for being one of the world’s finest. 

So, if you’re feeling a bit too much chill, just find yourself some wool, it will make everything feel much better.

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