When we started working on our prototype mittens, we were looking for a fiber that would fit the LucyBlueKnits philosophy of recycle, reuse, renew. We also knew it was important to differentiate ourselves from the other artisan-made mittens on the market. Very quickly, we settled on wool.
Why wool? Its properties are ideal for mittens. It's:
warmer than cotton
breathable
water-resistant
naturally hypoallergenic
renewable resource
washable
Let's talk about each of these for a minute. Wool is warmer than cotton because it is, by design, originally made to insulate mammals. What it does for sheep, goats, llamas, rabbits, camels, and musk oxen (yes, musk oxen!) it does for humans—regulates body temperature by trapping air. We love that our product has this functionality literally woven into its DNA by the Creator!
Wool is also breathable. This is very important for mittens because the fibers wick moisture away from the skin while retaining heat. Keeping those fingers warm is the most important function of mittens, so what they're made of is crucial.
Winter is wet. Spend any time making snowballs, sledding, or shoveling, and your mittens will get wet. Wool is naturally water-resistant, and that means your hands will stay warm even when your mittens are caked with snow. Try that with any other fabric and you'll be a candidate for frostbite.
With so many people struggling with allergies these days, we're proud to offer a product that is naturally hypoallergenic. Because wool isn't susceptible to static—a dirt and allergen magnet—our mittens stay cleaner longer and you stay healthier.
The fact that each of the sweaters we thrift began its life as the coat for a sheep means that we're not only recycling what others no longer have use for, we're creating another "life" for a nenewable resource. Sheep are shorn annually, and the more thrifted sweaters we use, more wool stays out of a landfill.
While many purchase wool for its durability, maintaining it is more expensive because it must be dry cleaned. Not so with our wool. Because the wool is felted before becoming mittens, LBK mittens are washable and can be dried like other clothing. They probably won't need to be often, though, because wool doesn't absorb dirt like other materials. Because it stays on the surface, spot cleaning your mittens is quick and easy.
If all these benefits haven't convinced you that your next pair of mittens should be from LBK, we're sure we can sway you with this: they're BEAUTIFUL and ONE-OF-A-KIND. New mittens are being added to the shop daily, so click, browse, and do some early Christmas shopping!