why wool?

I mentioned before that I’m working on a FAQ section for the website. One of the questions I get asked all the time is ‘Why are the dolls stuffed with wool?’ Well, there are a bunch of reasons why – let me explain!

First off, wool is naturally antibacterial. It actually can’t sustain bacteria – it just doesn’t have the culture to do so or sheep would be in some massive trouble! It’s different than other fillings such as poly-fill because it can’t get all ‘mingy’. It can however get dusty over time and I do suggest that you give your doll a vacuum once in while. All the dolls really need is a surface clean if they get dirty ‘skin’ and the vacuum. If the doll gets something spilled on it then that’s when I recommend a ‘doll bath’ (full instructions are given with each doll – I just don’t want to write it all out here!). It’s a bit of a hard thing to wrap our heads around – not washing things that often – but that’s how wool works. It’s kind of like (but not really) wooden cutting boards versus plastic cutting boards. In the wooden boards bacteria doesn’t multiply  (unlike the plastic ) and eventually it dies off. That mother nature – she’s so clever!

The other reason I’m ‘Team Wool’ is that it’s a natural material. There is a feeling of substance with wool that often surprises people who haven’t felt one of my dolls before. I often get letters back from customers commenting on how the Lose Weight Exercise kind of adds life to the doll. Wool also absorbs smell, so the doll starts to smell like home – this is great for car trips, doctor visits or travelling. I know personally that when my kids are in a situation that they feel overwhelmed – they’ll  snuggle in close with their dolls – it’s a bit of home.

In  Waldorf/Steiner  philosophy there is a great deal of importance that the materials in which a child with be natural. The thought is that a child’s senses are so pure that they  resonate with natural materials much more then with plastic ones. It’s like they are all on the same ‘vibe’ – if that makes sense. If this is something that you are interested in there is a great book about natural play,  parenting, creative development… well just about everything,  by Rahima Baldwin Dancy called ‘You are Your Child’s First Teacher‘.  I LOVE this book and refer back to it on an almost daily basis.

The wool I get is primarily from BC with some in from Alberta. It is washed with a mild detergent (similar to a clothes washing detergent) and then carded (this means that it’s combed for debris) into great fluffy batts (which are like big sheets). I then get it, roll it, and stuff it into your doll!

Also, wool won’t stay in a landfill for hundreds and hundreds of years (unlike poly-fill).  What I like to believe is that after you and I are gone – these dolls will naturally decompose, they are biodegradable! … This will take a very,  very long time – so don’t worry about it for this lifetime!

Okay -there you have it- that is my wool shpeil! I love wool!

I know that I’ve written about wool in other places before – so I’m sorry for the redundant information!  The ‘why wool’ comes up a lot and I can use this post to explain to my customers why – lol – now I won’t have to write out email after email explaining!

There are six gals coming out tomorrow afternoon – around noon PST.

xo,
Christina

P.S This song – it’s kind of annoying but my kids LOVE it. It’s some hipster NY band called ‘The Phenomenal Handclap Band’ – and this song has multiplication in it! What is not to love about that?