Diaper Covers: Why Wool's Cool
by Heather L. Sanders
My first reaction to wool as a choice fabric for diaper covers was less than informed.
I was considering an old scratchy sweater my grandfather had graciously
given me. He had worn it years back when living in Germany.
The colors were beautiful, but the 'feel' was itchy, heavy and
altogether uncomfortable. I could not don it without first
pulling on beneath it a turtleneck undershirt with arms that extended
beyond the sweater's arm length. Yes, it was THAT BAD!
There are many that feel their reaction to wool extends beyond
discomfort to a definite allergy. I do not believe this was my
case as I have since found wool that does not cause a reaction.
Rosemary Brock wrote that she has known "many people who thought they
were allergic to wool and what they were allergic to was either the
wool processing or the type of wool." (3) For more information on wool
and allergies, go here.
Since
then, however, I have learned and experienced that just as with nearly
every other fiber, wool has many variations. Select wools can
provide a soft, lush, highly effective waterproof layer that is
surprisingly easy to maintain and launder.
Choices . . . choices . . . choices! Just
as I did, many begin cloth diapering without a clue as to the vast
array of choices available on the market. Few are fortunate enough to
be introduced to cloth diapering from family members or friends. Over
and over we hear of how mommas just knew they
wanted a more natural choice for diapering and so, they went looking.
Most local communities lack knowledgeable cloth diapering educators
and/or advocates. In addition, not all are aware, nor have the
resources available, to read/inquire within the cyber cloth diapering
communities on the world wide web. (That is a whole different article
altogether, now isn't it?) No matter how the information is gained,
once acclimated to the idea of cloth diapering in general, the next
step is making decisions about the specifics. What type of cloth
diapers to use? What kind of covers? What are the benefits of one
over the other? Here I will list some of the attributes of wool.
Being informed is the key to deciding whether or not wool needs be a
component of a baby's cloth diapering system.
Why choose wool?
Wool covers are just more proof of what those making natural parenting
choices already know - that nature is no less than perfect.
Nature's gift of wool can maintain three seemingly contradicting
qualities simultaneously. First, a wool cover is thermal - "it
can store water vapour up to 35 per cent of its own dry weight yet it
remains dry to touch and speeds up the body's own cooling system."
(2) To attest to this fact, wool is most regularly suggested for
night-time usage when leaks most often occur in abundance, although
certainly can extend to everyday wear. Second, while absorbent,
they still remain breathable, allowing for a maximum amount of
circulation around baby's bum. This helps prevent diaper rash,
but also alleviates the health concerns of trapped heat within a
diapering system. Finally, wool contains natural lanolin which
creates a natural waterproof barrier or repellancy. For more
information on the benefits and structure of wool as a workable natural
fiber for cloth diapering systems, read Marc Pehkonen's Diapering Articles: Right Down to the Fibers.
Wool through the ages. Though it is unknown the exact moment the revelation of wool as a choice textile came to mankind,
"the earliest dated surviving textile, found in a Danish bog,
originates from 1500 BC, while the oldest fine woolen fabric dates to
the fifth century BC and was found in a Greek colony." (1)
Wear and tear of Wool. Before
going any further, let's talk about the 'wear' of wool. After
all, our concern is that baby be completely comfortable and cool,
right? Wool boasts of the finest comforts - "its elasticity means
garments fit so well and yield to body movement, it absorbs moisture,
allows your body to breathe, yet never feels damp and clammy."
(2) Baby can bend, stretch, crawl, pull-up easily and get the
added benefit of a completely breathable diapering system. Cloth
diapering enthusiasts often veer away from choosing wool because of a
common misconception that wool products are not easy to care for and/or
maintain. First, I would like to point out that wool need not be
washed as regularly as synthetic diaper covers. Wool is "dirt
resistant - the crimp and the scales prevent dirt from penetrating
the surface of the wool fibre and the static resistance also helps to
resist dust and lint from the air." (2) That, in and of itself,
makes it a more agreeable diapering item for those wanting ease of use
because it will cut down on the amount of time dedicated to diaper
laundry. Wool is also known for its longevity and durability due
to "the interlocking protein molecules . . . wool fibres have the power
to elongate, stretch and recover, creating an extremely robust fabric
that will last for years." (2)
Naturally antibacterial. Shortly
following diaper changes, wool covers may smell of urine, however a
system of rotating and airing them out (as seen in the picture above)
will cause the smell to dissipate completely. Why is this?
The same natural properties of lanolin that allow wool to be virtually
waterproof pull double-duty as an anti-bacterial, thus killing
germs. One way to know that a wool cover needs laundering
(outside of being soiled with fecal matter), is if the urine smell does
not fade after an airing. This means the lanolin has worn thin
and most likely the wool diaper cover is losing its waterproofing as
well.
So how DOES wool wash up?
As with any cloth diapering system, it is important to read the wash
and care information given by the WAHM (Work-At-Home-Mom) or
manufacturer who produced the specific wool item purchased. Some
wool does require a simple hand washing system, while others can be
placed on a gentle cycle in a washing machine. It is important to
pay attention to these details lest one end up with a doll size wool
cover for their life-size baby. However, in general, the
following applies.
Do
an initial rinse in cold water to cleanse away any surface urine or
solid waste. Then fill the sink with warm water, adding the wool
wash. The amount of wool wash needed is directly in proportion to
the amount of covers being washed and the amount of water being used -
the brand of wool wash that you use will stipulate tsp. per gallon
increments.
To simplify, we choose to use Eucalan® No Rinse Woolwash.
As the name stipulates, it does not require a rinse . . . cutting down
water usage and making the process easier. It is a non-phosphate
gentle cleaner that contains lanolin for waterproofing and conditioning
wool. More often than not, I have found that it is
suggested/recommended and/or sold by those that sell wool
products.
Once
the wool wash is added, soak your covers in the mixture . . . I usually
get busy with tasks around the house and tend to leave it in the soak
for 15 to 30 minutes. Once it has soaked, gently squeeze out all
excess water. It is unnecessary and counterproductive to writhe
and wring the cover. I usually lay the covers out flat on a
towel, and roll it up for a bit to absorb a bit of the moisture, then
unroll and place on a fresh/dry towel or hang to dry. Our covers
are normally washed about once a month. We have several wool
covers in our rotation which extends the washing routine.
Machine
washing is much the same - again, read the washing guidelines that come
with your wool item as some specifically state NOT to machine
wash. Fill the washing machine with tepid/warm water FIRST before
adding wool wash . . . gently agitate the wash to 'mix.' ALWAYS
utilize the gentle cycle when washing wool covers. Add wool
covers once wool wash has been agitated to mix well with the
water. Allow the washer to agitate. Remember, if using
Eucalan® No Rinse Woolwash, the rinse cycle is unnecessary.
Either way, pull from washer and hang to dry. If 'no rinse' . . .
follow the same steps used when soaking in the sink (above).
Here's a little humor for you - I came across a Terms & Definitions list for textile people and fiber producers. The term Blowout Factor means
"The rapidity with which an animal's fiber diameter thickens with age.
(A bad thing.)" (4) Here in the Diapering World the term Blowout
Factor has a slightly different slant, however it does still deal with
rapidity and possible thickening with age (a bad thing) as well. :)
Other products can be used to wash wool as well.
Some prefer to use baby wash for cleansing and lanolize with melted
lanolin. Lansinoh® is a commonly used brand. To use
Lansinoh®, dissolve a teaspoon or so per diaper cover into very hot
water - adding just a tad of natural soap to maintain a fluid
consistency to the Lanolin. This HOT mixture can then be added to
warm water already drawn in a sink. Add the wool covers and
soak. With this system, if the 'soak water' does not stay warm,
the lanolin may begin to harden and clump in the water and/or on your
covers. So watch the water temperature carefully. Pull out
and gently squeeze, roll in towel to absorb excess moisture and hang or
lay flat to dry.
Variety of styles, hues and textures. Wool
is a very versatile fiber used to make a wide range of products from
upholstery to . . . well - baby's diaper covers! Wool diaper
covers can be found in any shape or form that a synthetic diaper cover
can take and more - from front hook and loop (velcro/aplix) or snap
closures to side snapping or pull-on soakers, there is a broad
spectrum. Wool is also recognized for being "easy to dye - the
scales on the surface of the wool fibre tend to diffuse light giving
less reflection and a softer colour and wool holds its colour well as
the dye becomes part of the fibre." (2) Many WAHMs in the diaper
sewing industry are experimenting with all sorts of methods of
hand-dyeing wool for their custom creations. Everything from Kool-Aid dyeing to basic Vegetable Dyesare being utilized to add vibrance, or as Lori Taylor of Fuzbaby would
say, to create 'Diaper Art' on wool diaper covers. For Helpful
Tips on using natural plant dyes for your own wool dyeing experiments a
very informative site is The Joy of Handspinning.
Peruse Karla Fischer's very detailed and extensive wool reviews at Cloth Diaper Geek's Recommendation of Wool Covers and Wool-In-Ones.
Last Thought: Storing your wool diaper covers for the next baby.
With the onslaught of plastic storage containers that can fit anywhere
from between your washer and dryer to under the bed or stackables for
your closet . . . you may not think twice regarding storing your wool
(or any other textiles) in that manner. However, due to a lack of
air circulation within plastic containers or bags, it is not a choice
environment. Fabric "needs to breathe and storing it in vinyl
airtight containers causes fiber deterioration from chemical
interaction and imparts awful odors over time." (5) "Any moisture
remaining in the container will result in a musty smell at best, and
possibly even mold or mildew damage." (1) So what do you
use? To protect your wool covers from mold, mildew and moth
larvae, try storing them in cedar wood, wicker baskets with cedar
chips, cotton bags or any other type of container that will allow the
textile to breathe. (1) For the best protection, choose acid-free
products, as well as boxes containing rag content or linen stationery
(you can get these from printers - just ask for their empty boxes). Do
not store in cardboard shoes boxes as they are produced from less than
'friendly' products. However, cardboard shoe boxes can be lined with
acid-free tissue so that fabric will not touch cardboard if it is your
only alternative. Another suggestion is to store your wool covers
in newspaper. Yep, you read right! Moths do not like
newspaper, so simply wrap your wool covers in tissue and then in
newspaper and store them in dresser drawers, closets, cabinets or
wherever there is space. Remember to store away from direct
sunlight, damp basements, hot attics and/or dusty garages. (5)
Sources:
(1) Amy Pang, Ass. Editor, A Brief History of Wool . Vintage Voice.
(2) Wool Fibre: Natural Properties. Australian Wool Innovation Limited.
(3) Rosemary Brock, Wool and Allergies.
(4) Rosemary Brock, Terms and Definitions.
(5) Joan Kiplinger. Storage - where and in what. Fabrics.net. March/April 2000.
