 |
| Me, in the fisherman's sweater I knit. |
Come winter, I'm looking forward to curling up in my warm, cozy (hand-knit by
me), wool sweater. This is because wool is an excellent insulator. In elementary school, we all learn that conductors pass electricity along easily, while insulators do not allow electricity to pass easily. The same rules apply for heat. Conductors, such as metal, both pass electricity and heat. Insulators, such as cork, do not. Air is one of the best insulators. Down blankets keep us warm, because the feathery fluff contains many small air pockets. The air pockets do not conduct heat, so the heat from your body remains trapped under the blanket, keeping you warm. Knit sweaters keep you warm the same way. On a larger scale, we use insulation to keep the heat in our houses throughout the winter. Commonly, we think of pink or yellow synthetic fluff when we think of house insulation. Before the synthetic material, builders would use rags and even newspaper.
Recently, I read an article in the
Twist Collective about the use of wool and sheep in Ireland.
The article explained that while sheep are abundant in the area, they are raised as food. As a result, they are not bred for the quality of their wool, and there are very few wool mills in Ireland that spin yarn. Even less spin yarn to sell for knitting. Yes, your dream is knitting that Irish sweater with Irish wool may not come true. However the article introduced me to a new, eco-friendly use for wool: Insulation.
It makes so much sense. We've been dressing ourselves in wool for centuries, so why not use wool to keep our houses warm? There are many advantages to wool insulation:
- Insulates well
- Safe to install; non-toxic, does not require safety equipment
- Fire and vermin resistant (if treated)
- Absorbs sound
- Does not settle over time
- Recyclable, biodegradable, and does not require large amounts of energy to produce
Of course, nothing is perfect. One must also consider the disadvantages to wool insulation:
- Wool must be protected from water leakage
- Wool may be treated with pesticides while on the sheep; may cause environmental damage when washed off in the treatment process
- If untreated, wool is susceptible to moths
- Due to its relative scarcity, it is more expensive than other options
If you're interested in learning more, the following are good places to start:
No comments:
Post a Comment