In addition to linen and cotton, wool is one of our tried-and-true, go-to textiles for all over the house. It’s both hardy and luxurious, eco-friendly, water-resistant, antibacterial, and even has the potential to help you sleep better. Read on to learn more about this all-purpose, dependable material.
1. It’s been around for millennia: The oldest known woven wool textile in Europe was found preserved in a Danish bog and is estimated to date from 1500 BCE.
Photograph via Schoolhouse
2. It doesn’t always come from sheep: The wide category of “wool” includes textiles made from the fur of alpacas, llamas, camels, and goats.
Photograph via Fforest
3. It has antibacterial properties: Because wool doesn’t hold moisture, it’s less likely to be a breeding ground for bacteria, mildew, mites, and other unpleasantries.
Photograph by Corinne Gilbert
4. Wool absorbs sound, which is why it’s used to cover the tiny hammers inside of a piano; baseballs are packed with wool so that they can withstand impact.
A felted wool piece by Ashley Helvey; photo via Lord Stanley
5. It could help you sleep better:
Advocates say sleeping under a wool blanket—or on it—keeps hot sleepers cool, cold sleepers warm, and prevents middle-of-the-night wake-ups.