Fleeced wool is soft and fluffy to the touch, but wears really well. It's warmer and more wind-proof than simply knitted wool and more flexible than boiled wool making it ideal for little ones.
Merino wool is a kind of wool fibre that is very fine, soft and springy and is not itchy at all to most skins. The Merino sheep usually thrives in mountainous areas at high altitudes and its wool is naturally brilliant at keeping the body comfortable at a wide range of temperatures.
All certified organic wool comes from sheep which have been farmed organically and with high animal welfare standards. At Cambridge Baby we always make sure that no wool comes from farms which practise mulesing.
Please note that under EU labelling regulations, stating the type of wool is not allowed, only a statement of "100% wool" or "new wool" is allowed. However, this garment is made from 100% organic Merino wool.
Engel's organic Merino wool is certified to GOTS organic standards by IMO. These standards are so high that even oils that lubricate knitting machines have to be analysed. With Engel, you can be assured that their dyes are baby-safe, eco-safe and that all cotton threads and finishes are natural too.
Wool (and thus Merino wool) has many benefits.
Merino wool is the wool of choice for baby and children's clothes, as well as for sportswear, because it's finer than most other wools. It's naturally springy (which makes it softer) and has a tight crimp, allowing it to trap more air, making clothing lighter as well as softer for the same excellent insulation.
Merino wool has also been proven to absorb UV across the whole range of the spectrum, giving excellent lightweight sun protection in the summer too.
Engel's organic Merino wool fleece is a very soft fabric and is easy to damage when washing. Extreme care must be taken if you do decide to wash it. Engel recommends hand washing as follows.
In the event that you do decide to wash your fleece, use a detergent designed for wool which protects and replenishes the wool's natural oils. We recommend one of our liquid wool shampoos in our fabric care section here.
To hand-wash your organic Merino wool, dilute your wool detergent in cool water, max 30C (lukewarm only, should feel coolish), in a bowl. For heavily-soiled areas, use a little gall soap on your woollens first, testing on an inconspicuous area first.
Add your woollens to the bowl, gently stirring and squeezing the detergent through. Rinse using water at the same temperature, otherwise, your wool will be subjected to "shock" and might felt up. So lukewarm/coolish at 30C again.
Things not to do! Don't wring, soak, brush or rub vigorously as the wool fibres may be damaged and your garment felt up a little and shrink. Just squeeze the water through.
To dry, gently squeeze water out and wrap your wool clothes in a towel to remove the excess water. Air-dry naturally avoiding direct heat. So, hanging on a drying rack over the bath is good, or on a clothes horse. Mine often end up over the back of chairs or on the washing line in the shade (I haven't had a problem with the heat of the English being too hot, yet, but direct sunlight is not good for wool).
Re-shape while still damp.
"I love this suit. Super soft, lovely colours, warm and really easy to care for. I washed it in the machine using a wool detergent and it washed great. The sizing is really generous - I picked size 1-2 years for my then one year old and it was really big. However we still used it. This year, my baby will be two in autumn and I think the suit will still be roomy enough for any layers. She might even use it when she is 3, so excellent value for money. You can use this product for three years."
This was washed... washed fine
This was worn by... My 15 month old baby girl
Sizing: A little generous
I'd recommend this to a friend.
"We have had 3 of these over the years and love them, very warm, soft and plenty of room to grow into them! Super fast delivery and good customer service. Highly recommended"
This was washed... had to be careful
This was worn by... Baby
"Great colors"
"LOVE this for babywearing - my LO feels super snug and warm. Comes up VERY big so I am hoping it will last her next winter as well. I get lots of comments about how cute and cosy she looks too."
This was washed... not needed washing yet
This was worn by... My daughter, 14 months
"This is the best purchase I've made for my newborn. It's super cozy and very very warm. The only downsize is that I went with suggestions of generous sizing and I've ordered a smallest size for my 2months old i should have gone for a bigger size cóż as it turned outy baby boy it's quite BIG :) for his age."
This was worn by... Baby boy
Sizing: A little small
"My baby wore this almost every day from November to April. It was her most-used item of clothing. It was large on her initially, but with the cuffs and legs turned up she could still wear it. What is great about it is that it is so easy to get on: for my first baby I just bought puffypram suits from the supermarkets but it was always a struggle to get his arms into them and he seemed to dislike them. This pramsuit is warm but thin and lightweight. It’s more comfortable for the baby (she certainly never protested) and less bulky in a baby carrier. I also worried less about the baby overheating in the natural wool fabric than in the synthetic suits.This item would be in my top three favourite things I have bought for my babies. It has now been outgrown but I can’t bear to part with it because I have such fond memories of using it."
This was worn by... My baby daughter, from 2-7 months.
QuirksSome batches of wool seem to de-fluff more than others and sometimes you may find red fibres on clothing etc. After a couple of washes this should stop.The buttonholes can widen over time so you may find you need to dig out a needle and thread. Though this is unusual, it sometimes happens with all wool products due to the nature of the buttonholing and the fabric.
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