Fleeced wool is soft and fluffy to the touch, but wears really well. It's warmer and more windproof 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 organic Merino wool.
Pickapooh's'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 Pickapooh, 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.
Pickapooh's organic Merino wool is a very soft fabric so care must be taken when washing. Engel recommends hand washing as follows.
Use a detergent designed for wool which protects and repenishes 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 (luke-warm 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 luke-warm/coolish at 30C again.
Things not to do! Don't wring, soak, brush or rub vigourously 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 the heat of the English being too hot, yet, but direct sunlight is not good for wool).
Re-shape while still damp.
"I bought two of them and love it. It looks beautiful and really good quality. It's a bit On the larger side if you buy it for a baby. My son is 12 month old and I bought 6 to 12 month. It fit's perfectly. The one 1 to 3 year old was to big."
This was worn by... My boys
Sizing: A little generous
I'd recommend this to a friend.
"I wore this balaclava all last winter, and it was brilliant for socialising outdoors during COVID. Everyone else became cold before I did. My children did ask me to take it off when their friends were around, but they borrowed it too. We may buy a second for the kids in a brighter colour. Lovely quality."
This was washed... had to be careful
This was worn by... A middle-aged mum
Sizing: Feels true to size
This was washed... not needed washing yet
This was worn by... My gorgeous 6 year old girl
"A lovely and warm balaclava, my 2,5yo loves it. It has a cotton lining inside,so doesn't itchy at all! I have bought a size 3-4 years, it was big for my son , but I made a little stitch at the top of the hat and it's just right now, hope it will last for the next winter"
This was washed... I always wash wool hats gently by hands
This was worn by... 2,5 year old boy
This was worn by... My 9 year old grandson
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