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The pros and cons of sheep’s wool |
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Monday, 10 December 2007 |
Here’s a conundrum. A year ago
Maisons Paysannes de France
published an article extolling the virtues
of sheep’s wool as an insulator for roofspaces
and walls. But speaking for the
Charente branch of the organisation
recently Chrystelle Granet was
adamant: “We absolutely don’t
recommend it. You mustn’t use it.”
What’s happened in the space of a
year? Sheep’s wool is still as efficient
an insulator as mineral wools. It still
doesn’t burn. Its carbon footprint is
very low, even when it is turned into
cuddly long rolls ready to lay, and even
lower if you just collect the waste
shearings from a nearby sheepfarmer, or
mattress-maker. It is pleasant to handle,
non-irritant, easy to place, and it is a
breathable material, which means it
allows moisture-laden air to pass
through it without merely holding it
forever in a fungus-inviting layer. It is
therefore a healthy material in the
home.
True, it can be smelly if you don’t
wash it. The unwashed animal-wool
layers of a Mongolian yurt are
protection against the bitter winds of
the high steppes. If you live close to
your animals you probably don’t notice
the smell as much as you might in a
less organic environment. In fact,
reports from those using raw wool here
in France say that the smell wears off
very quickly.
So where’s the rub? Well, it’s in the
vulnerability of wool to moths.
Knowing that Rentokil has reported a
massive rise in callouts concerning
moth infestations and attributes this to
climate change, is hardly likely to make
you feel better. Apparently the lanolin
on unwashed wool gives some
protection, but it may last only two
years. German-produced wool rolls are
treated with natural anti-moth
protection, but if you buy treated wool
here you should ask what its treatment
has been, and check its toxicity.
Dry orange peel, quantities of
lavender, spraying with borax or mothrepellent
mixes of essential oils are
some of the suggestions being made.
Certainly manufacturers need to be
asked whether or not they give any
guarantees with their product. If you go
for the option of collecting waste wool,
then maybe packing it into its quarters
and closing it off with boards you screw
down (so you can check it later) will be
the answer. If you haven’t paid a
fortune you may feel less enraged if the
‘mites’ have got in to it. And there are
many people out there who have had no
moth problems at all.
www.maisons-paysannes.org
www.cat.org.uk – The Centre for
Alternative Technology. Information,
advice and courses
www.secondnatureuk.com – UK
manufacturers of Thermafleece
www.etoileduberger.fr – Étoile du
berger, Prades, 63210 St. Pierre-Roche.
04 73 65 89 03
www.domusmateriaux.fr/daemwool.htm – Daemwool, BP 50, 09120 Varilhes.
www.beyondpesticides.org/infoservices/pesticidefactsheets/leasttoxic/boricacid_borates_borax.htm – explains the
benefits and possible toxicity of borax.
www.onpeutlefaire.com/ilslontfait/iloflaine-mouton-airelle.php – an
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Downtime 
