Why Do We Use Wool

Lambswool is a Natural Fibre

I have always enjoyed working with natural fibres more than anything else- they are what I have grown up with, and my mum in particular always taught me to value them. Although I enjoy working with cashmere and silks, and sometimes cottons and other plant fibres, there are many reasons why I have chosen to use wool for all Collingwood-Norris products.

Lambswool is Biodegradable

Firstly, one of the benefits of wool is that it is a natural fibre from sheep, and once it has come to the end of its useful life, it is fully biodegradable. It will break down and return nutrients to the ground quickly, unlike synthetics. The lambswool we use is dyed using mostly GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) approved dyes (the spinner is currently working to make them 100% GOTS approved), reducing the environmental impact when the wool biodegrades. 

An example of some of the super fine lambswool we use, on cones ready to knit. 

Lambswool Keeps Its Shape Over Time

Wool is elastic, and resilient. It is able to recover after stretching, and this means woollen garments will hold their shape over time. As we want you to love and keep your Collingwood-Norris items for as long as possible, this is ideal!

Lambswool is warm and cosy!

Another benefit of wool is that it’s also a natural insulator. It is a hygroscopic fibre, which means it absorbs and releases water vapour as the humidity of the surrounding air changes, and as it absorbs it generates heat. This means that even though our knitwear is lightweight, it is surprisingly warm and cosy.

These are the first reasons why we choose to use wool. More to follow …