Baa Baa Black Sheep, Why Should You Use Wool?

I love to tell people about cloth diapering. I love to tell them about the amazing covers I make and use. I love to tell people about wool. However, I get weird looks. I get questions "How does that work? Don’t wool covers leak? Aren’t they just for decoration?" No! Wool diaper covers are so much more than just decoration. They are beautiful, soft and functional!

So, how does it all work? Well, to really understand wool, you have to start on the inside. Inside wool fibers there are minute overlapping scales, called cuticles. Because these cuticules overlap, they repel water from the fibers. To help in this process, sheep secrete a natural oil called lanolin. Lanolin coats the fibers and repels water naturally. Obviously, natural water repellance is a great reason to use wool as a diaper cover, but it isn’t the oly reason. Underneath the cuticules, are tiny air pockets. These air pockets suck in moisture, up to 30% of it’s weight in moisture before the wool ever starts to feel damp. These air pockets help evaporate this moisture, creating a delicate balance. Wool does all of this naturally. Pretty cool, huh?

In addition to naturally keeping baby dry and happy, wool helps combat diaper rash! How? Well, diaper rash is caused they irritation to baby’s skin. This irritation usually comes from urine and stool being next to delicate skin, however, temperature can make diaper rash worse. Fabrics used to make diaper covers help keep wetness in, but it can also raise the temperature next to baby’s skin because it lacks breathability. Wool is naturally breathable, helping keep diaper rash at bay.

Last, but not least, wool is great, because it cuts down on the amount of diaper laundry you have to do! Because wool is antibacterial, you only have to wash diaper covers every 1-3 weeks or if they become soiled. What could be better than that?

Want to give wool a try? Check out our Original Crinkle Bottoms diaper covers or our unique tie-dyed Groovy Bottoms today!