When you think of wool, you probably picture it in coloured balls of yarn. But there are so many other different uses of wool in its raw, unspun form.
Wool is ram-packed with amazing properties. Not only is it natural, reusable and biodegradable, it also insulates, absorbs and protects.
So here are 10 creative ways you can make use of this wonder-wool material.
1. Home insulation
Wool can play a bigger role in keeping you warm this winter than just as a woolly jumper. One of the increasingly popular uses of wool is in eco-friendly home insulation. If you’re looking to improve the energy efficiency of your house by upgrading your loft insulation, opt for a sustainable wool insulation alternative to fibreglass, such as Thermafleece.
2. Moving house
It can be tempting to stock up on rolls of bubble wrap to protect your valuables when you move house. With so much to pack, you need a fast solution to wrapping things securely.
But why not switch out the bubble wrap for rolls of wool - a far more ethical solution. Our 1m2 sheets are great for cutting up and using to wrap up your crockery. Once you’ve finished with the wool, you can store it away for another time, or put the wool to use with one of the other options below!
3. In the garden
If you’re green-fingered, there are plenty of great uses for wool in your garden.
Wool is a natural slug deterrent, since the micro-barbs in the wool make it uncomfortable for slugs to slide across it. Break it up and lay it around your strawberry plants to keep those pesky slugs away.
It’s also a great natural fertiliser. It breaks down naturally and provides oodles of great nutrients for your plants. You can either add the wool straight to the soil or mix it into your compost first.
4. A wool basket liner
It’s not just in your flower beds that wool can help out you green-fingered folk. Because it’s naturally water-repellent, wool also makes a great lining for flower baskets and window boxes. The neighbours will come flocking to see your beautiful new flower displays.
5. Wool pet bedding
Wool does a great job at keeping sheep cosy through winter, and it’s just as effective for other animals. Chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs or any other small animal can use it as a soft, comfortable bedding material.
You could also use it to stuff your dog beds, as long as it’s used as an internal material.
6. Wool packaging
We’re biased of course, but we think wool makes the very best alternative to bubble wrap or other nasty plastic fillers for your packages.
As a soft, flexible material, wool will keep your products safe and secure! In our wool packaging range we offer flat wool sheets for wrapping around a package, as an alternative to bubble wrap. There is also a filler wool option that can be used to stuff empty space in a box. It can all be cut to size to suit whatever parcel you are wrapping.
7. Craft activities with wool
If you’re crafty, it’s always fun to experiment with new textures and materials and pick up different skills. There are plenty of creative ways to use your wool.
Wool can be dyed using natural ingredients such as cabbage, flowers or red and yellow onion skins to create an array of vibrant colours, without the need for any harmful chemicals.
If you’re good with a needle, you could use it to fill a cushion or pillow. Or why not have a go at felting it? Felt can be used to make everything from pin cushions to decorations or even a tea cosy. If you’ve never made it before, here’s a beginner’s tutorial on how to felt wool.
8. Get creative with kids
All kids love a trip to the farm, so why not plan some sensory farm-themed fun at home, where you can experience the textures and colours of working with wool together. From wooden spoon puppets to collages, and simple threaded cards there are so many creative and woolly activities you can plan.
So many craft materials are made of plastic and are harmful for the environment, so it’s great to be able to get arty with your kids with a natural, sustainable material. You can find more ideas of creative uses of wool here.
9. Cleaning material
Wool is absorbent and useful for soaking up spills so it has lots of uses around the house.
Instead of buying single-use kitchen roll, which will be thrown away after every spill, cut up your wool into small squares. Keep handy in your cleaning cupboard and use it to keep your house in sheep shape.
10. Woolly jumpers
Last but not least, who doesn’t love a cosy woolly jumper?
If you’re a keen knitter, it could be fun to create a knitted creation from scratch, starting with raw wool. Find your nearest wool spinning group and learn how to spin the wool into yarn yourself, before you put your knitting needles to work. What a fantastic way to learn a new skill and meet other wool-lovers at the same time.
Where there’s a wool there’s a way
There are plenty of ways to enjoy this gorgeous, natural material. Wool can be reused again and again, so we always encourage our customers to find ways to reuse their wool packaging after they finish with it.
If you have any other ideas for uses of wool that we haven’t thought of, share them with us on Facebook, or tag us in a picture on Instagram.
We’d love to see creative new examples of how to take advantage of this fantastic material.
