There's nothing better than snuggling under the covers of a freshly made bed—especially when you've invested in bedding designed to last you a lifetime. Whether you're looking for helpful ways to improve your sleep health or searching for stylish switches as you redesign your guest bedroom, there's one simple solution waiting for you: wool. Learn a bit about why wool makes a timeless choice for bedding and find inspiration for making your own bed.
Why is Wool the Best Option for Bedding?
If you've ever tossed and turned at night, too hot or cold to find comfort, you know just how aggravating it can be. Wool bedding is naturally breathable and temperature-regulating, helping you reach your ideal sleeping temperature no matter the weather. Synthetic alternatives trap body heat in your bed, while wool has tiny air pockets that assess outside temperatures and provide the correct amount of airflow to keep you comfortable all night long.
Wool also offers multiple benefits to your overall sleep hygiene. The fibers are naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to mold, mildew, dust mites, and other pesky allergens, giving you a safe and clean place to rest your head without the fear of waking up with a stuffy nose. It doesn't matter whether you're only switching to wool pillows or rebuilding your entire bedding set—even one swap can make a difference in your quality of sleep.
Not to mention that natural, real wool offers a timeless style that suits any aesthetic! Whether you live a maximalist lifestyle with a million colors in each bedroom or prefer a simple, minimalist look, wool comforters and pillows are the perfect foundation. They'll keep you cozy and last you through all your different interior design phases—especially once you personalize the style with throw pillows, sheets, and duvet covers of your choosing. It’s no wonder that wool has a long history in bedding.
Real Wool vs. Washable Wool Bedding
As you shop for wool bedding, you'll want to make sure you choose high-quality options that will last. Our biggest tip? Avoid washable wool for your bedding.
While tempting, it's important to remember that washable wool will not provide the same level of breathability. While washable wool is widely commercially available and often sold at lower, seemingly more budget-friendly prices, it is known to have reduced insulation and is often brittle. Save yourself the trouble and invest in classic wool pillows, mattress toppers, and comforters to make your bed as breathable as you deserve.
Making Your Bed with Wool Bedding
When it comes to making the bed, every layer counts. Let's build your dream wool bedding set from the bottom layer to the top:
Get a Comfortable Foundation with a Wool Mattress Topper
Investing in a high-quality mattress topper could be what's standing between you and a good night's rest. This layer is strapped directly onto your mattress, underneath sheets and wool comforters, to add an additional level of breathability to your bed.
Our wool mattress topper is 2.5 inches thick and filled with Climate Beneficial wool batting designed to provide ultimate comfort. Each one is covered in a 100% organic cotton percale cover for a crisp and cool exterior. It also features elastic straps so you can secure it safely to the bed without having to reposition it each night.
How to Put Our Wool Mattress Topper on Your Bed
Wool mattress toppers are the foundational layer of a wool bed set—but what good would they be if they moved around as you slept? As mentioned above, our wool mattress toppers have handy elastic straps at all four corners to prevent this exact problem. Just think of positioning a mattress topper as putting on a fitted sheet—take each strap and stretch it around its corresponding mattress corner. When all are on, make sure they're even, and the wool mattress topper fits snuggly against the bed (our mattress topper straps will even fit a deep mattress).
Our Wool Mattress Topper Sizing:
Twin: 39" x 76" (4 lbs.)
Twin XL: 39" x 80" (4 lbs.)
Double: 54" x 76" (5 lbs.)
Queen: 60” x 80”(6 lbs.)
King: 76" x 80" (7 lbs.)
California king: 72" x 84" (7 lbs.)
Choose Sheets that Match Wool Bedding
Whether you sleep with a top sheet or just a fitted sheet, these pieces are essential when making the bed. These are the layers your skin will have the most direct contact with, so it's important for them to feel soft against your skin, keep your temperature regulated, and last for years to come. The sheet set you choose should match the style of your wool comforters and pillows so you can enjoy a cohesive look in your space.
What is a Fitted Sheet?
If you've ever tried to fold a fitted sheet, you know just how pesky they can be—but they're a key part of making your bed as comfortable as possible. The fitted sheet can be identified by its elastic-banded rim, designed to hook over the corners and sides of your mattress and wool mattress topper. It has two important functions: to protect your mattress and give you a soft foundation as you sleep.
Do You Need a Top Sheet?
Recently, there's been some debate online about sleeping with a top sheet, but the choice is entirely up to you! Making your bed with a top sheet can help provide extra warmth and act as a barrier between your body and the wool comforter, which can stretch out the time between laundry days for your wool bedding.
But if, for whatever reason, you'd rather just sleep with a duvet or comforter, you can easily leave it out when you make the bed. Your duvet cover or comforter than acts as the top sheet and needs some additional laundering, many in Germany and other parts of Europe sleep like this. Just make sure to have a few on hand in case any guests that stay the night prefer one.
Our Favorite Bed Sheet Options:
We may not make wool sheets, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for anything less than luxurious! As you shop, search for sheet sets made from these popular materials:
Premium cotton: known for being extra-soft, comfortable, and durable
Sustainable linen: offers year-round comfort and temperature regulation
Quality bamboo: a light and breathable option for summertime
Silk sheets: hypoallergenic, soft, known for being gentle on skin and hair
How Many Sets of Bed Sheets Should You Own?
As a rule of thumb, we suggest having two or three sets of sheets for each bed in the house so that when one is being washed, you can set the bed again without having to wait for the stripped set to dry. If you stock your linen closet with sheets of different colors and styles, you can also switch them out whenever you want to change up the look of your bed.
Selecting a Stylish Wool Comforter
When it's time to choose bed linens, don’t skimp on the plush top layer. Whether you prefer a duvet or comforter is up to you, but as long as you have something soft, made of natural fiber (so that it is breathable), and timeless, making the bed will be a dream. Snuggling under a well-made comforter at night can do more than add a stylish look to your room—it can actually improve the overall quality of your sleep.
As you shop for comforters and duvets, you might as well invest in pieces designed to last for years and years. When it comes to wool comforters, you can feel confident that it’s a durable choice. If you’re adding a duvet cover and want a tight fit, size the duvet cover closely to the comforter, otherwise it can be up to 4 inches larger than your comforter’s measurements.
When you choose to buy a wool comforter, you're also benefiting from life-changing temperature-regulating properties, so you'll never wake up in a cold sweat again. Our wool comforters are also proven to decrease nighttime allergies and aid in skin breakouts. Dress it up with a brightly colored duvet cover to personalize your bedding, or throw it on to enjoy the natural hue as is.
Our Wool Comforter Sizing:
Lap wool :45" X 72" (1.5 lbs.)
Twin: 72" X 90" (3 lbs.)
Double: 81" X 90" ( 3.5 lbs.)
Queen: 90" X90" (4 lbs.)
King: 108" X 90" (5 lbs.)
California king: 104 " X 94" (5 lbs.)
Oversized king: 116" X 108" (6 lbs.)
Finish The Bedding Set with Wool Pillows
Sleeping on a premium pillow can make a world of difference in the quality of your sleep. Finding a pillow with just the right amount of fluff and firmness can help support your neck and spine alignment overnight, reducing those morning aches to almost nothing. Pillows have a long history, and it’s easy to get distracted by all the different types of fills when you shop, so let us simplify: there's only one type that matters—wool.
Nothing feels more luxurious than laying your head down on a wool pillow. When you first get yours, don't be fooled by the over-the-top plushness—each one will compress about a third of its loft to create the perfect combination of soft cushioning and firm support. You can even buy a matching wool comforter and pillow set to create an easy and cohesive style in every bedroom of the house.
Don't Forget About Wool Body Pillows
Though they aren't technically required to complete a wool bed set, body pillows are one of the most helpful sleep additions money can buy. These long, thin, and narrow pillows are designed to add additional support when you sleep.
Body pillows have a variety of uses, whether you're sleeping with them between your legs to improve your sleep posture or trying to break the habit of sleeping on your side by propping it up beside you. When you find a body pillow you love, you'll change how you sleep for good.
Our wool body pillows are the perfect sleep companions. Designed to mold to your body's contours and add overall support to your back, hips, and neck, body pillows offer tons of benefits to anyone, from expectant mothers to chronic side sleepers and those just looking for a little more cushioning. When you're not using it, you can tuck it behind your standard pillows and make your bed look even more plush.
Our Wool Pillow Sizing:
Standard: 20" X 26" (1.6 lbs.)
Queen: 20" X 30" (2 lbs.)
King: 20" X 36" (2.8 lbs.)
Body pillows: 16" X 54"
Travel pillows: 12” X 16”
Nursing pillows: 16” X 20” X 5.5”
3 Ways to Wash Your Wool Bedding
When it comes to cleaning and caring for your wool bedding, whether that be wool pillows, comforters, or mattress toppers, you have three main options:
Method #1: Air It Out
The air-it-out method can be used on a regular basis as long as nothing is soiled. Just hang each layer in the fresh air for a couple of hours for a refresh. For additional benefits, hang it in the sun and let the UV light kill any bacteria. Once your bedding starts smelling fresh, make the bed!
Method #2: Handwash
If your wool bedding needs a little more TLC, you can always try the handwash method. Fill a bathtub with warm water and a detergent of your choosing and gently place your wool comforter or mattress topper in, taking care not to agitate, wring, or twist the material. Drain the water out and refill it with the same temperature water (consistent water temperatures is very important) for a second wash, letting the layers soak once more. Drain the tub one more time, pressing on the wool bedding to release any trapped water, and air dry it.
Method #3: Trust the Professionals
For some people, handwashing their wool bedding sounds far too daunting. If that's the case, you can always let the professionals at Frankenmuth Woolen Mill take care of it! Just drop off or ship your bedding to us and we'll handle the laundering for a small fee, depending on the size of each layer. After about two weeks, we'll give it back to you, and you can make the bed once again!
You deserve to fall asleep each night in a breathable, comfortable bed—and wool makes that possible. From keeping your neck supported night after night with wool pillows to ensuring you stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter under your wool comforter, wool bedding lets you experience refreshing sleep.