All About Wool Wraps
The most breathable cover of all is a wool wrap. It may seem odd to suggest wool as a waterproof cover, but think about how dry sheep and fishermen stay in their woolen outers: the secret is in the mesh of the fibres. Technically, wool is water resistant rather than waterproof, so if the nappy underneath gets too wet, it will start to seep through the wrap. The trick for a reliable wool wrap is to make sure that the nappy underneath has plenty of absorbency to hold on to the volume of liquid.
Wool wraps are increasingly popular, with more people looking to use more natural materials and avoid plastic and polyester based products. The Nappy Lady™ sells a wide selection of wool wraps; here are some of our favourites:
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Wool wraps are more expensive to buy than PUL wraps, but are ideal night covers for any child who suffers from sweat rashes, eczema or other rashing. As they are more breathable they can be especially good when little one is teething and their wee becomes super strong. They are nice and stretchy with generous leg and waist cuffs, making them a great choice for chunkier children who may be irritated by the narrower, tighter elastic of a PUL wrap.
Wool is naturally anti bacterial, so your wraps shouldn’t smell unless they are overdue a wash or have got soiled with poo. If they haven’t got soiled they get washed about once a month depending on the amount of use; if you have a couple you can air them between uses. They shouldn’t feel wet or wick moisture, but if they do you need to relanolise them. You don’t need to relanolise them every time you wash them.
Read all about caring for Wool wraps in our advice section.
In terms of leaks, it really depends on how good the nappy underneath is as you’re relying on the nappy to keep as much in as possible, we do find with wool you will need slightly higher absorbency than a PUL wrap. If your children have really runny poo, which regularly gets out of the nappy onto the wrap then using wool could become more work for you. The only thing you need to be careful of with some wool wraps is the fact that any Velcro tabs on the nappy can stick very easily to the wrap while it is being handled.
You can even make a wool wrap yourself if you ever accidentally wash a jumper far too hot. As the fibres blend together, it won't even need hemming at the edges. Another option is If you or you know someone who is good with knitting needles you could get them to make you some wool outfits. You can make wool longies which look like trousers, shorties which are more like shorts or skirties for girls which are a knitted skirt with knitted knickers attached underneath. They come in different colours so look very pretty, they can be custom made to fit, they are soft and much more breathable than PUL. They will also eventually compost down. Wool wraps/longies get worn instead of trousers, skirts etc.
