| Woolgatherer’s Mill is special in many ways. Rather than cranking out a “run of the mill” batting product, Woolgatherer takes its time and produces quality batting. There are many steps that must be taken in order to ensure top quality wool batting. |
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 A scouring train...where the wool is washed The first step in creating exceptional Eco Wool batting is to purchase the right wool. Wool must have a minimum amount of vegetable matter. All wool must also fit a series of other standards for thickness, crimp and cleanliness. Scouring the Wool Wool must be scoured before use as the lanolin is greasy and will eventually begin to degrade the wool. Woolgatherer has tailored the washing process to fit extremely high standards. Instead of harsh detergents, a completely biodegradable product is used to clean the wool. The scour train is slowed to allow more thorough cleaning and rinsing. After meeting with the workers at the scouring plant several times, Nathon is confident that these requirements are met. |
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 Wool Carding Machine Once the clean wool batting is returned to the Woolgatherer facility, the wool is first fed into a picking machine. The primary function of the picking machine is to pull apart dense bales of wool to ad air to the wool and to protect the carding mill from getting jammed. The picker also begins loosening vegetable matter. Remember that most other companies have washed their wool in acid to remove these persistent stickers and burs. Woolgatherer Mill works very hard in order to avoid that process AND to still create clean batting without prickly vegetable matter. Carding the Wool Again, the Woolgatherer facility is unique in how it cards wool. Most mills run the wool through a simple one breaker "garneting" machine. Woolgatherer uses a three breaker carding machine to comb the wool through 3 complicated breaker/carders that remove even more vegetable matter. The extra combing also creates fluffier, more consistent batting. In addition, midway through the combing process, the wool is crushed; this doesn’t affect the wool, but does crush what vegetable matter is still present in the wool. |