What woolen clothes I tested up - 2 and a half years.
The nightmare of any new parent is clearly the cold season and the eternal worry about how thick to dress your child when it is cold outside. And it seems that the choice made is never the right one, the child is too stuffed (with n layers of clothes, hats and the whole arsenal), or shivering from the cold. Searching I found out how beneficial wool is and how great it can be in winter, I discovered that they are absolutely brilliant, pleasant to the touch and very easy to wear.
As disadvantages would be firstly the price (they are much more expensive than normal winter clothes) and secondly the special care they require.
This article covers all the woolen clothes I have so far. But let's start with the beginning and talk about layers and the few brands we've tried. (as we discover more and test, we'll update).
Let's get started!
Layering
When the cold comes, the main concern is to provide warm clothes for the children to play quietly outside. We always wonder how thick or thin we should dress them so that they do not overheat, are not cold, and are comfortable. If you are thinking about layering, it is easy to add or remove a layer depending on the temperature and climatic conditions (wind, rain or dry).
In principle, layering involves the existence of three layers: an outer layer, insulator, to protect you from the outside environment (rain, wind, snow, frost), an intermediate layer to provide additional thermal insulation when it is very cold, and a base coat that absorbs perspiration and keeps you warm.
The first layer - regulates body temperature, absorbs perspiration and keeps it away from the skin
Intermediate layer - keeps heat close to the body
Outer layer - insulates, protects from wind, rain, moisture
The way you layer the layers will need to be adapted to the outdoor activity and temperature. If you take the little one out to play in the park, you can assume that he will sweat, so you should choose a base coat that absorbs perspiration and does not keep cold if it gets wet.
It matters how you combine them and when you choose to use them.
First layer / base
It is most important being in direct contact with the baby's skin. It must be soft, breathable and natural. It absorbs perspiration and keeps it away from the skin without leaving it feeling wet, it is comfortable, it helps the body to regulate its temperature, it lets the skin breathe, it is soft and pleasant to the touch.
Babies and young children cannot adjust their body temperature on their own like adults and lose heat up to 4 times faster. Especially for newborns. That's why merino wool is perfect for babies' skin. It has antibacterial properties and regulates body temperature fluctuations, maintaining a constant temperature.
We can use merino wool in this layer, which is the ideal material for direct contact with the skin because it retains the feeling of warmth even when it is wet and dries very quickly. Cotton is soft and allows the skin to breathe, being a natural material. However, on contact with perspiration or moisture, it becomes cold, heavy and retains the feeling of wetness on the skin. It dries harder. Synthetic materials, even if they are fine, do not let the skin breathe and do not have the ability to absorb moisture.
Mid layer
It provides extra warmth and extra thermal insulation on cold days, especially in the winter when we go outside.
We can use the fleece which is a suitable option for frosty days. Fleece wool is the best choice especially for babies. Allows the skin to breathe and helps the first layer to keep moisture away from the baby's skin. The synthetic fleece is just as warm but doesn't breathe as wool does.
Outter layer
It is the one that protects from the weather like a roof / a protection for the layers below.
In rainy / very humid weather or playing in the snow, we need something as waterproof as possible: lanolized wool or boiled wool.
TIPS:
For rainy days, add raincoats as an outer layer.
When the wind blows, we feel the colder weather, it is 5 degrees less than the outside temperature.
What we've tested so far
I tested from Hip Hip (ManyMonths, Cosilana, Joha, Mikk-line, Disana, mpDenmark, Fub, Bisgaard and Kavat), RaluLand and from Woolver.
The first layer is from ManyMonths the ones chosen by us are in the images below. I bought them last year (age 1 year - 1 year and a half) and they are good this year as well.
Body / Blouse (2 in 1) merino wool - Honey Bread (diaper area is removable)
Merino wool double pants - Foggy Black
Merino wool hood - Foggy Black
And from Cosilana I also bought for the first layer (thinner) this year (age 2 years - 2 and a half years):
Merino wool and silk blouse - Plum
Merino wool and silk tights - Plum
Merino wool, silk and cotton sweatshirt - Natur
From Joha we have for the intermediate layer (very fluffy):
Merino wool sweater - Rib Natur
Merino wool trousers - Rib Gray
Last year I bought from Mikk-line an overall fleece wool with merino wool hood - Blue Nights which is good this year as well.
From Disana last year I had an overall with gloves and boots made of merino wool boiled Anthracite color, and this year I bought pants made of boiled merino wool also Anthracite.
The socks and tights are from mpDenmark and Fub, we liked them too much and we added something to the collection this year as well.
In terms of footwear, we have from Texgaard fur boots from Bisgaard - Evon Mustard and from Kavat rubber boots with removable wool liner - Gimo Blue.
We have for the first layer a light blue set consisting of tights and merino wool sweater and a light blue fez.
We have the Curry boiled wool lined jacket with Dark Gray details. The exterior is 100% boiled wool, the lining is made of merino wool, the cuffs and the folded hood are made of merino wool, the closure is with reflective zipper. It is longer in the back to protect against the cold regardless of the activity, and the applied pockets are roomy enough to protect the little hands.
Washing and caring for woolen clothes
1. Make sure the clothes really need to be washed
Unlike other fabrics, wool does not need to be washed as often. Even wool socks can be worn several times if you air them between uses. You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people.
2. Brush very dirty or stained clothes with a brush
Very dirty or stained clothes need to be cleaned with a brush and then rinsed with cold water before washing. If a diaper cover or pants are just wet with urine, they can be aired outside or just rinsed with cold water. The wool cleans itself very well.
3. Use a suitable detergent
Use special products for washing and caring for woolen clothes, or, if you don't have one, baby shampoo is pretty good. Do not use normal detergent, even if it is environmentally friendly. First dissolve the detergent in water and then wash the clothes.
4. The water temperature should not exceed 30 degrees
At a higher temperature, the woolen clothes will "enter the water", they will shrink and be smaller, and this process is irreversible.
5. Wash by soaking and pressing, do not rub the clothes because they will be fluffy
In short, hot water, agitation and detergent are the enemies of wool, so try to avoid them and wash them by soaking and squeezing lightly. Wool is easily cleaned only with water.
6. Wash the wool in the machine as rarely as you can
Use the machine only on a wool program and not more than 30 degrees. Try to use it only in case of emergency because it will still shake the woolen clothes and they do not like this. Hand washing is more appropriate.
7. Dry clothes lying on a stand, not hanging.
Remove excess water by rolling the clothes in a towel and then pressing lightly. Then dry them on the stand (not hanging). It is best to dry them outdoors.
XOXO
Baby P & Mom R
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