October celebrates Wool Month: an annual campaign that celebrates and raises awareness for the sustainable, versatile and aesthetic qualities of wool.

Wool is a key material for both Brintons, heritage carpet and rug manufacturer, and Vispring, high-end bed and mattress makers, and Wool Month is an opportunity to support the wool industry and educate its consumers on the natural benefits of this amazing natural fibre.

Brintons, in partnership with British Wool: For more than 230 years, heritage carpet company Brintons has crafted exquisite wool-rich carpets and rugs, establishing itself as a proud champion of British Wool. Today, Brintons stands as British Wool’s largest customer worldwide, transforming wool from one in every nine British sheep into premium carpeting.

On Brintons’ continued support, Graham Clark, Marketing Director at British Wool, says: “Brintons is the largest user of British wool in the world. They’ve used high levels of British wool in all of their carpets for many years, and this is one of the many reasons they have such an enviable reputation for quality. Wool is one of the most sustainable fibres in the world and has been for centuries.

“As a natural resource, wool is renewable because sheep grow their fleece year after year, this needs to be shorn at least once a year for animal welfare reasons. Unlike synthetic fibres made from fossil fuels, wool is environmentally friendly and reduces reliance on unsustainable materials.”

Vispring, in partnership with Campaign for Wool: With four full sheep fleeces used per mattress, Vispring is proud of its affiliations with the British Wool Marketing Board and the Campaign for Wool as it maintains a close relationship with the crofting industry to safeguard their future.

Vispring was the first UK bed-maker to be granted the prestigious Woolmark award, and it has nurtured a long-standing fair-trade policy with the Shetland Wool industry and guaranteed that the brand will purchase a substantial amount of each year’s clip. Initiatives like this keep this traditional trade alive and help the farmers to thrive.

Every filament is responsibly sourced from within the British Isles and sheared from sheep with no harm done. The practice of removing their dense winter coats is all part of necessary animal husbandry and Vispring’s commitment to buying local, as opposed to importing from overseas, ensures that an ancient way of life is preserved for all communities involved.

Since 1901, Vispring has been handcrafting its beds and mattresses, prioritising wool for its many benefits. Wool is more sustainable than most man-made fibres; it is breathable, hypoallergenic, and serves as a natural insulator, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Clare Schifano, Global Marketing Director at Vispring, emphasises that “along with other natural, breathable materials including cotton, Tencel and mulberry silk, a key ingredient used to fill Vispring mattresses is British wool. The keratin in wool, is a protein found in animal hairs that acts as a natural insulator, keeping the wearer warm in winter and cool in summer. Used by humans since around 6000 to 10,000 BC, wool works for us in the same way it does for animals, making it the perfect fibre for bed making.”

Wool is also naturally fire-resistant — negating the need for the use of toxic chemicals (the effects of which are still under investigation).

A natural insulator, wool is well known for its warming properties in the winter as well as its cooling properties in the summer. This makes wool flooring ideal for all seasons, providing warmth underfoot during the summer and helping to regulate humidity, absorb excess heat, and keep the home cool throughout the summer. Durable as well as practical, Brintons’ wool carpets guarantee quality, durability and style.

Lisa Conway, Marketing Manager at Brintons, shares, ⁠“Wool is always an excellent choice due to its natural insulating properties. Wool is often appreciated for how it creates a warm and cosy environment, which is one of its many benefits. But a lesser-known advantage is wool’s cooling properties. As an insulator, wool can also prevent too much heat from coming through the floor. This moisture-wicking power prevents you from getting too warm.

“Wool carpets are known for their quality because wool is naturally tough, giving you luxury that lasts for longer. It’s also fire-retardant meaning that wool is difficult to ignite due to high water and nitrogen content. If you hold a match to wool, it will smoulder and then go out. It doesn’t melt, drip or give out poisonous fumes. And this means it’s considered one of the safest fibres for flooring and fabrics – the perfect choice for the family home.”

Brintons and Vispring continue to prioritise natural wool for its flooring and bedding as both brands put sustainability and wellness at the forefront.

Jodie Hatton, Design Manager at Brintons, explains: “Not only is wool on trend right now, but it comes with the added bonus of being a fantastic sustainable choice for flooring. It insulates your home, is easily recyclable and biodegradable, plus shearing sheep is essential for their welfare. Thanks to wool’s hypoallergenic and antibacterial properties, using it on the floor helps to make the air we breathe cleaner.

“Wool carpets are known for their quality because wool is naturally tough, giving you luxury that lasts for longer. It’s also fire-retardant meaning that wool is difficult to ignite due to high water and nitrogen content. If you hold a match to wool, it will smoulder and then go out. It doesn’t melt, drip or give out poisonous fumes. And this means it’s considered one of the safest fibres for flooring and fabrics – the perfect choice for the family home.”

Clare Schifano, Global Marketing Director at Vispring, emphasises: “At Vispring, we pride ourselves on working with the best suppliers possible using only high-quality, natural materials to fill each mattress. From the unbleached cotton calico pockets that encase our springs, to British fleece wool, no plastic, polyester, glue, foam or other artificial products or chemicals feature in our mattress manufacturing process.”