100% New Zealand Grown Wool Movement Mats
Wool has been used by humans for thousands of years, and considered by experts to be the world’s oldest textile, but in more recent times it has moved from an everyday item to one deemed a “luxury”, if used at all, and seen its place in our lives usurped by cotton and synthetic fibres.
The decline of wool use in everyday life began in the 1950s, and apart from a few brief hiatuses has continued to decline to this day, but a couple of enterprising young ladies from Hawke’s Bay, Laura and Bri, are on a mission to reverse this trend and get us all to “Move to Wool”.
Why move to wool? Well, quite simply, no other fibre in the world can match all of wool’s naturally inherent benefits!
Combining their passion for health, wellbeing and movement with enthusiasm and dedication for the eco-friendly, natural, renewable and biodegradable benefits of wool, Move to Wool’s mission is to source wool from the natural pastures of New Zealand and craft natural products, promoting health and well-being for people and the planet.
We asked them “Why do you love wool?”, and here is what they told us:
“Because wool is nature’s true miracle fibre - when the wool is shorn from the sheep through to the final product, it never loses any of its unique and wonderful qualities. Pure wool is 100% natural, 100% biodegradable, and 100% sustainable”.
Here is what makes wool the “miracle fibre”:
- Wool is thermo-regulating and naturally insulating, so it keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer.
- Wool is naturally absorbent. Wool fabrics can absorb up to 30% of their weight, without feeling damp or heavy. When wearing wool garments the wool fibres absorb moisture away from your body and release it into the air.
- Wool is easy to care for. The outside surface of the wool fibres is made up of a series of overlapping scales, making it easy to clean as any dirt or dust will sit on the surface of the fibre so can be brushed or shaken off.
- To top this off, wool has natural antibacterial properties, as well as being naturally hypoallergenic.
- Wool is naturally flame retardant. It does not ignite easily, and will often self-extinguish. You can see this in action with the Move to Wool logo branded into their wool mats using a heated branding iron!
- Wool is versatile and durable.
Move to Wool products connect you to nature, to proud producers of wool, and New Zealand’s rural farming communities, with Laura and Bri committed to being part of their wool's circular journey from nature, back to nature, with minimal impact on the environment.
The first product from Move to Wool is their "Movement Mat", made, of course, from 100% New Zealand grown strong wool, and also manufactured right here in New Zealand too!
This “Movement Mat” is particularly suited for low to medium-intensity Yoga, Pilates, Stretching, Meditation, Mindfulness, and Breathwork, for both home practice and retreat environments.
When you use a Move to Wool Movement Mat you are part of the lifecycle of a wonderful natural and sustainable product, whose journey began on the back of a sheep as it grazed on grass.
When the wool is shorn from the sheep through to the final product, it never loses any of its unique and wonderful qualities. Move to Wool is proud of the beautiful imperfections found in their 100% New Zealand grown and manufactured products, a testament to the minimal processing used to deliver you the most natural and authentic products that they can.
Your Movement Mat, with proper care, will last a lifetime, but when it does reach the end of its days its journey is still not done - wool is biodegradable, making its journey truly circular in nature. As wool biodegrades the fibre’s nutrients are returned to the soil for use again. Wool is made by nature and returns to nature, making wool the ultimate renewable fibre.
