Why Wool is Cool
• The fleece of sheep has been used to make human clothing since the Stone Age.
• Wool flourishes where there is rain and sunshine. These two elements sustain the grassy fields that sheep graze on. Shearers shave off the wool every year before the weather gets too hot. Wool is the ultimate renewable fibre.
• Wool from about 61 sheep extend all the way from the earth to the moon.
• Wool may be made from mixtures of hair from sheep, alpaca, llama, camel, cashmere, mohair, angora, vicuna, yak, guanaco, beaver or otter. No animals are harmed in the harvesting of wool.
• Wool is flame-resistant. It will not melt and stick to your skin like synthetic fibres. Instead, wool will usually smoulder and extinguish itself when the source of the flame has been removed. The fibre of choice for casinos and airlines.
• The fastest recorded time to shear a sheep is 39.31 seconds by Hilton Barrett of Australia.
• Wool is composed of same protein that makes up the outer protective layer of your skin.
• Have you ever wondered why your wool socks withstand foot stench longer than cotton or synthetic socks? Wool is naturally mildew and mould resistant because it is a natural moisture repellent, MEANING LESS STINK. Wool also reduces dust mite activity (they do not like wool!).
• Over its lifetime, a sheep’s fleece will absorb approximately 30Kg of carbon dioxide.
• Renewable, recyclable, and naturally biodegradable; choosing wool minimizes the amount of waste that sits in landfills. Wool biodegrades in weeks to less than 1 year depending on environmental conditions. This is due to its high nitrogen content.
• Wool products can last for 15 to 20 years (or more)
• Wool can absorb indoor contaminants, including formaldehyde, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide and locks them away in the fibre core. It is naturally soil and stain resistant, attracts less dirt and dust due to anti-static properties and requires less cleaning than synthetic fabrics.
• Wool fibres have a crimped texture so when it’s packed more tightly together lots of tiny pockets of air form. This structure means that it can absorb and release wick away moisture, allowing your skin to breathe so you feel fresh as a daisy.
• Due to its crimped structure, wool is naturally elastic, and so wool garments have the ability to stretch to your shape but can then return to their original state. It is also resistant to tearing and requires less processing to make it useable.
• Wool’s high nitrogen and water content makes it naturally flame resistant. Wool does not ignite easily and will self-extinguish. Should wool burn it does not melt while burning. Wool produces less smoke and toxic fumes during combustion than synthetic fibres, making it a far safer choice.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we are having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Calling All Puzzle Masters! Can You Solve This?
When John was six years old he hammered a nail into his favorite tree to mark his height.
Ten years later at age sixteen, John returned to see how much higher the nail was.
If the tree grew by five centimetres each year, how much higher would the nail be?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.