Natural and Organic wool

Wool and the bedding derived from it has a lasting beneficial impact on our natural environment as well as your personal sleep environment. Wool fiber fills and batting provide the most comfortable and healthful microclimate for the human body at rest.

Because wool fibers are uniquely spiral, they create tiny pockets of insulating air that absorb moisture like a sponge. In a comforter, wool's springy, resilient fibers trap an abundance of air to create a layer of insulation that evenly maintains body temperature. Wool's fiber-and-air combination in mattress batting cushions the body and shields it from irritating pressure points.
It's a surprising fact that beneath a comforter, the average person perspires as much as a pint of water during an eight-hour period of sleep. But wool absorbs and wicks away large amounts of moisture vapor before the feeling of wetness disturbs sleep. The effect of wool's "natural climate zone" is advantageous in a pillow, which receives especially large quantities of body moisture. Because wool dries so quickly, dust mites don't like it.

A study constructed by two leading European institutes confirms wool's superior comfort, demonstrating the lowering of heart rate, decreasing humidity and regulating body temperature. And under both warm and cool sleeping conditions, wool fill wicks away body moisture better than down, cotton or synthetic fibers.

About our manufacturers, sourcing, harvesting and processing of organic cotton:

SLEEPTEK (Green Sleep and Oasis): Fleeces are processed without the use of chemicals, dyes, oils, or bonding agents. The resulting wool contains no processing residues and also retains 4% to 6% lanolin, which is a natural dust-mite repellent. Moreover, during shipment of the processed wool, the use of plastic, baling twine, or mothballs is not permitted.

All wool used in these products originates from fleeces sourced from a small island in the Netherlands called Texel. There, a family-run business takes exceptional pride in its organic production methods. Their sheep are carefully bred and fed to lead healthy, drug-free lives. They are checked daily for continued good health. In summer, they graze on land that has never seen the use of pesticides or harsh chemicals and that has remained strictly agricultural for generations. In winter, they enjoy a clean, well-ventilated, climate-controlled barn, with bedding changed daily and feed from a non-rationed organic supply. It should therefore be no surprise that the result is a superior wool fleece for harvesting.

The coats from these animals surpass any others in terms of gloss, resiliency, strength, wicking capabilities, and natural oils that couple fiber longevity with natural moisture repellence. Fleeces shorn from the live animals are carefully sorted and washed in hot water and vegetable-based soaps (no detergents, chemicals, or chlorine bleach) to retain maximum strength and spring in the fibers.

Green Sleep and Oasis wool have met the highest ecologic quality standard in the industry. All wool is certified to the Öko-Tex 100 standard through the Öko-Tex Association in Switzerland.

VIVETIQUE's Pure Grow Wool™ Program: In Sonoma County, California, a regimen of stringent controls was adopted years ago to establish what is known as Pure Grow Wool™. Sonoma County Pure Grow Wool has been a joint effort for many years by the Natural Bedroom, the Sonoma County Wool Growers, the University of California Agricultural Extension and Debra Lynn Dadd. The result of this program is a distinctive line of woolen products, scrupulously cleaned and created without bleaches, formaldehydes, dyes, or animal cruelty by more than 200 California wool ranchers. The growers participating in the program follow responsible and healthful farming practices to create a superior and "pure" product, which is easily distinguishable from the current standards.

The program calls for absolutely no chemicals, pesticides or artificial materials in the sheep's environment. The pastures where they graze must be free of pesticides for a minimum of two years, and supplemental feeds must be organically based. Inoculations can contain no synthetics or hormones. Even the grasses on which the sheep are grazed are carefully selected. In the shearing process, ranchers use a clean room and a surface free of dirt, dust and pests. Throughout the packing, cleaning and carding process, care is taken to eliminate chemical processes and maintain uniform quality.

Wool is purchased at healthy prices to support these local farmers who practice rotational grazing and responsible land management. No pesticides or chemicals are used in the pasture or feed. There is no tattooing or dyeing of sheep, and the shearing room is kept clean, free of dust, pests and dirt.

The sheep are handled with the utmost care. They are fed a complete healthy diet. They are free to roam on the properties around Sonoma County, California. There is 1.5 to 2 acres per animal. No sheep is denied care if it should become ill.

No chemicals are used to clean the wool. The wool is soaked to remove loose matter and then washed twice with a biodegradable detergent. Pure Grow Wool is not carbonized. Carbonization is a process used by conventional wool in which they use acids to process it. Some people have allergic reactions to these acids.

Carefully inspected for length, strength and purity, all of the characteristics of the finest wool. Pure Grow Wool standards require that the fibers chosen are between 1-1.5-inches in length. This length helps maximize the wools resilience, resulting in the best all natural bedding products available.