Wool, the miracle fibre, has been shown to have a unique set of qualities that prevent pressure sores.
The WOOL fibre is:
Natural and renewable – a new fleece is produced by each sheep every year and must be shorn for the best health of the sheep.
Friction/Shear– wool has a low coefficient of friction, allowing the body to move over it without grabbing and tearing fragile skin.
Sunsafe – wool has naturally high UV protection.
Flame retardant – wool fibre has a higher ignition temperature than many other fibres and is flame retardant up to 600º C. It also produces less toxic fumes in a fire.
Biodegradable – when disposed of, natural wool fibres take only a few years to decompose, and because of its high nitrogen content, wool can even act as a fertilizer.
Breathable – the wool fibre absorbs wate thatr to 30% of its weight without feeling wet. Absorbed water evaporates from the fibre keeping you warm in winter and cool in summer.
Non allergenic – wool is not known to cause allergy and does not promote the growth of bacteria. With microscopic scales, wool fibres can trap dust in the top layers until vacuumed away.
Durable and elastic – wool fibres can be bent 20,000 times without breaking and still have the ability to recover and return to its natural shape.
Easy care – modern wool can be safely machine-washed in a wool approved detergent like Woolskin.
Naturally insulating – wool insulates by trapping an air layer between the fibres.
Wool, the fibre with such an impressive list of properties, offers excellent pressure ulcer prevention. The higher the wool fibre density, the more effective the product is. Shear Comfort now produces a range of products with the highest pile density of any wool product available today. This product range is know as: Pressure Smart XD1900.
XD1900 means that the material has at least 1900g of wool per square meter (gsm). Most wool products in the market place have pile densities of about 300-600 gsm. Even the best Medical Sheepskins have a pile density of about 1400gsm.
For more information about Pressure Smart XD 1900, click: Pressure
