Why wool regulates your temperature (warm in winter, cool in summer)
Wool doesn't just "keep you warm": thanks to its hygroscopicity, it absorbs up to 35% of its weight in moisture and regulates your temperature in both directions. The science of a comfortable fiber all year round.
There's a common saying about wool: that it "keeps you warm." While true, it's an incomplete picture. Wool is, in fact, one of the few natural fibers capable of actively reacting to changes in body temperature, in both directions.
Hygroscopy: Absorbing without wetting
This capability is based on a property called hygroscopy: the wool fiber can absorb up to 35% of its own weight in moisture vapor, which is twice as much as cotton and about thirty times more than polyester. When your body starts to perspire slightly, wool absorbs this moisture vapor before it accumulates against your skin, creating a cooling effect. Conversely, when the temperature drops, the fiber's microscopic scales trap air, creating an insulating layer that retains body heat.
It's this dual mechanism that explains why a well-designed wool garment can be comfortable to wear in the dead of the Quebec winter as well as on a cool early evening in a Lanaudière summer.
What this means for your creations
For you, as a crafter, this understanding can directly influence your design choices. A shawl intended for year-round wear particularly benefits from this active regulation property.
At Makeloo Studio, this property is one of the arguments we consistently highlight at shows and in stores, especially with customers who sometimes hesitate to invest in wool, thinking it's only suitable for winter.
Discover our local wool yarns →
Source: International Wool Textile Organisation, Wool Notes, Issue 3 (2024); The Woolmark Company, woolmark.com/fibre.