Wool fibre: unmatched breathability
Wool is a hygroscopic and hydrophobic fibre at the same time. Tiny pores in the epicuticle allow water vapour to pass through to the heart of the fibre. Wool can easily absorb and release moisture vapour up to 36% of its dry weight without feeling damp or clammy. This is twice as much as cotton and thirty times as much as polyester. It makes lavalan highly breathable, quick drying and it keeps you warm even when wet or when sweating.
Due to this individual adaptability wool is a “temperature regulator” that keeps you warm in the cold and provides a cooling effect when it’s warm.
Wool fibre: active insulation
Individual wool fibers consist of uncountable hollow spaces that are perfectly able to trap body heat. This effect is enforced by the curly construction of the fibre, called crimp, which gives lavalan a natural loft and forms millions of tiny air pockets creating a thermal barrier and delivering an outstanding insulation performance. Since wool is thermoregulating (moisture management) it also provides a cooling effect and prevents one from overheating during high intensity exercise or unexpected warm weather. So, lavalan always delivers comfortable, cozy warmth regardless of activity levels or altering temperatures.
Wool fibre: odour neutralization
Perspiring is a natural way the human body regulates its temperature, especially in response to hot conditions or intensive exercise. High levels of perspiration lead to sweat which naturally does not inherit bad odour. What we know as unpleasant sweat odour only builds up over time as bacteria develop on our clothes.
Wool’s capacity to absorb and to wick away water vapour prevents to build these bacteria. The fibre even has a self-cleaning and dirt neutralization property. So, you can use your lavalan padded garments longer without unnecessary wash cycles which makes it a perfect insulation for travels or multiday mountain adventures.
Others
Wool always absorbs moisture from the atmosphere of greater humidity and releases it to the drier environment and at the same time wool is naturally water-repellent. The cuticle layer of the fibre doesn’t allow water molecules to pass protecting the body against the elements and ensures a constant and dry next to skin body climate and unmatched wearing comfort.
Wool fibres and therefore our wool insulation dries fast. Instead of trapping moisture, as cotton does, wool wicks away moisture and moves it through the fibrefill. Also after a wool wash cycle your lavalan padded products will dry very fast as the lavalan padding is air drying really quickly.
lavalan® is the ecological, sustainable and animal friendly insulation alternative to synthetics and down. At the end of its lifecycle our filling doesn’t turn into waste because our wool insulation is recyclable and biodegradable. Wool is natural and has no allergenic potential nor it is harming health in any other way. So even if lavalan has an animal background, there is no reason for allergy sufferers to step back from our insulation products. The wool fibre is antistatic and therefore has a reduced attraction to lint and fluff.
The wool fibre
Proven by evolution and further developed by sophisticated breeding, wool has become mother nature’s miracle fibre which has numerous outstanding advantages over man-made fibres. Wool is a natural protein fibre that grows from the follicles of the sheep’s skin. It is like human hair in that it is composed of kreatin-type protein. Chemically these protein chains contain five elements: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. These five elements are combined into 19 amino acids linked together in ladder-like polypeptide chains.
Wool is a molecular coil-spring making the fibre remarkably strong, elastic and resilient. It can be bent more than 30,000 times before it breaks compared to 3.000 times for cotton. These properties make our lavalan very robust, durable and abrasion resistant. When wet, the fibre can be stretched up to 50% (when dry 30%) and bounce back to its original shape. The elasticity of the fiber creates a nice loft and a solid packability size for our lavalan waddings.