Wool is one of the absolute best things I can find in my wardrobe. Especially in this time when it gets chilly outside – and actually also inside. At least in my case, when I sit at my work:-)
At home, we actually mostly use wool as the inner layer – and as nightwear. Because when wool is used as the inner layer, it helps to regulate body temperature – both when you are hot and when you are cold.
Wool conducts sweat away from the body, and means that you are still warm, even if you are wet with sweat. That feature is great for kids who can often get wet with sweat just playing or sleeping. Cotton, on the other hand, gets wet – and cold!
Wool is therefore also fantastic as training clothes and as ski underwear for us adults. It keeps the body warm – even if you get wet.
In the summer we actually also use wool – because here it really makes a difference too. It cools the body down when it gets heated – and again directs the sweat away from the body. Absolutely brilliant in my eyes.
However, the above properties are only present if you use untreated wool. It must not be chemically treated, as unfortunately many conventional woolen clothes are. A great deal of conventional wool is superwash treated, which makes the fibers soft. But unfortunately it also removes ALL the wool's good properties.
So go for organic and untreated wool – read more about why here
Untreated wool contains lanolin, which has the unique property that it saponifies as soon as it comes into contact with our body's waste products (sweat or urine). This makes the smell of sweat or urine disappear. This is especially why you use wool as the outermost waterproof layer when you use, for example, cloth nappies. It is a natural and very hygienic way of handling something that is in itself quite unhygienic :-) Without having to wash like crazy.
And that is also why wool is a fantastic material to train and sweat in:-)
So wool does not need to be washed very often. In fact, you can simply hang it for airing every night over a chair, a drying rack or whatever you have. When it is aired, it gives the lanolin time to work and the clothes are nice and fresh the next morning.
Wash as infrequently as is now possible for you. In fact, only when you think it smells of either sweat or urine (depending on whether it's clothes or diaper pants). Wool is a rather delicate material, so it wears out from being washed.
Wool can easily withstand a trip in the washing machine on the wool program (but know your washing machine in this area – some washing machines are more violent than others).
The absolute best and most gentle way to wash your woolen clothes is by hand.
Feel free to give your woolen clothes a little lanolin treatment once in a while, to maintain all the good properties. For example this one
If you knit, we have a large category with organic yarn from e.g. wool, mohair and linen. See all the delicious yarns here