With Wool Week 2015 in full swing we decided to meet up with Anna, who is the founder of MamaOwl, a webshop and go-to destination for the finest of wool brands in the UK – and ask her; Why wool, what’s her favourite brands and must have soft pieces as well as how she celebrates Wool Week.
Anna is danish and lives with her husband and two children in East London. It was after having her first son she discovered that her favourite merino wool brands were not readily available in the UK. She soon decided to found Mamaowl. For Anna wool has become a successful business…
Do you celebrate wool week on Mamaowl?
Yes! We are celebrating with a 10% off code for all our merino wool from our big brands Engel, JOHA and FUB. Visit mamaowl.net and use code: wool (excluding some limited edition colours from Engel)
What do you think is the importance of wool week?
It is an opportunity to highlight the amazing qualities of wool and to get people talking! It’s nice to see wool being talked about in every media!
What do you find is the biggest misconception of wool?
There are so many! Most British people have never heard of all the benefits of a wool underwear/ base layers or think it’s only for skiing! They think it’s scratchy and difficult to wash. Lots of people have memories of scratchy sweaters and are horrified with the idea of putting a wool layer next to the skin on their baby, I see times and times again a merino wool body on top of a cotton body. But the merino wool is super soft and has amazing properties for regulating temperature and keeping your little one comfortable, you loose these if you put cotton underneath. It’s the key to keeping your child warm all winter, not just on ski trips! The only exception is for people with eczema.
People are also worried about the washing, but first of all wool does not need to be washed as often as cotton, it rejects odors and dirt and can often be hung outside to freshen up. Secondly all wool is not the same and some has been been treated to make it easier to wash. I recommend JOHA and FUB if you are worried about washing, they can both be machine washed.
What are your advice when buying wool?
Ask questions if you are in doubt, and ask about washing so you buy items that fits your lifestyle and don’t end up frustrated!
I always try and tell people that the key to keeping your little one warm is to start from the inside, a merino vest/baselayer is essential. Then you can be more relaxed when they refuse to wear a big bulky coat.
What are your favourite wool brands and why?
That is a difficult one, I love wool and I love all the brands we stock! They are all so different from basics to handknits.
Engel is amazing, the softest merino/silk underwear/baselayers and amazing fluffy wool fleece items. My children sleep in the merino/silk tops and leggings all year and wear them as underwear in the winter.
FUB such soft merino knitwear, using the softest merino, their baby dungarees and sweaters are a particular favourite.
Misha and Puff and their quirky retro hand knitted baby items in specially dyed merino. Unique and beautiful and now copied by lots of other brands.
Please pick 3 must have wool products.
A merino or merino/silk base layer top for a bigger kid or body for a baby. This is essential in the colder months. And as they don’t need washing as often as cotton you don’t need many. It keeps your little ones core warm and comfortable, absorbs sweat and even if wet still stays warm. Also great at night! It has been proven that premature babies dressed in wool put on weight faster and an australian study found we all sleep better in wool.
Sweater or merino wool fleece jacket for a bigger kid (or a wool fleece snugglesuit for the little ones). Use it as jacket all year round and as an insulating layer in the winter. Wool fleece is so versatile, it can be used all year as a jacket and in the winter with a windproof or rain jacket on top.
Hats, hats in wool or alpaca is essential, there is nothing softer and babies release so much heat from their head!
Don’t forget to celebrate Wool Week with Mamaowl – with voucher code ‘wool’.