Virgin wool is a natural product and so it is more valuable than a synthetic fibre. The name virgin wool may only be used if the wool is from sheep, new and not recycled; and if the wool has been sheared from a living sheep.

Per year, virgin wool production is more than 2 million tons – in about 100 countries such as Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and South America. One shearing results in about 4kg raw wool per sheep. Right after that, the wool is examined and sorted by criteria such as fineness, quality, cleanliness, share of lanolin and strength – this sorting determines the purpose of the raw wool. For our pure virgin wool throws, blankets and cushion covers we solely choose fine and top quality fibres. The fineness is especially defined and measured by microns, which is one millionth of a meter. The lower the diameter, the finer and softer the fibre. Superfine means 19-21 microns (merino wool). These extra fine wools originate from Australia, for example, and are used in our products.

By the way: virgin wool is a renewable resource and may be composted. If cared for properly, your favourite virgin wool piece will last a lifetime.

Camels, though not normally associated with their hair, produce fine quality hair suitable for many applications in the textiles industry. The animals are vital sources of transportation for people and cargo in their native areas in Northern Africa, the Middle East and Central China.

The wool of a Dromedary camel is rather robust and therefore very well suited for rugs. On the contrary, the Bactrian camel, from the family of camels mainly found in Mongolia and in China, provides very fine camel wool. Camel hair is composed of two types of hair; coarse top hair and very light, but still soft undercoat. It is this bottom layer of soft and silky hair that is predominantly used for textiles. A shearing is rarely necessary because camels lose several kilograms bottom hair per year. The fine hair has great features: due to the climatic particularities of the desert it balances high temperatures in summer, keeps warm in winter and absorbs moisture because of its hollow fibre. As the hair is very long, it can be woven especially well. We only choose this fine camel hair for our blankets and throws.

By the way: camel hair throws are classic products which have been available in the market for more than 100 years. At the beginning of the 20th century, ZOEPPRITZ1828 created the blanket LZ 127 with its classic meander design exclusively for the airship Graf Zeppelin (LZ 127) – this luxury item was made of camel hair and accompanied the passengers on their journey through the air.

The yak is a very important animal for the people in Mongolia and in the Tibetan plateau. It serves as a pack animal, supplies manure as fuel, meat as food and milk for butter – as well as leather and wool. Together with the nomads, the yak lives on pastures in heights up to 5000 meters throughout the year. It is therefore highly dependent on its fine, warming undercoat which protects the yak against the cold.

Yak hair is comparable to cashmere wool and shows similar features, but due to its wide availability it is not counterfeited to the extent that cashmere is. The animal’s topcoat is rather coarse and shaggy in order to regulate temperature and keep dust out. The undercoat on the other hand, is light and supple, and only half as thin as cotton. We use the fine undercoat, which also has temperature regulating qualities and is tactually appealing for our blankets and throws. Yak hair can be obtained both through shearing and through combing out, before the animal drops the fine wool in the warm summer months.

For the old Incas Alpaca wool was the “fibre of the gods”, one of the most sought-after and most high-quality natural fibres. Alpaca, together with the other noble hairs such as camel, yak and cashmere, represents a very small share of animal hair currently being produced worldwide -the fibres are therefore considered very precious. The Alpaca was bred over 5000 years ago in the Andean Highlands area and still lives mainly in Peru today, in groups and in great heights of up to 5000 meters.

Alpacas are sheared manually once a year – this is actually mandatory in order to support the animals during the hot season with their thermal equilibrium. Each animal produces about 3kg raw wool which is then sorted by different criteria, for example fineness and fibre length. Commonly used levels of quality are baby alpaca and super-fine alpaca, baby alpaca is finer and thus more high-grade than super-fine alpaca. It is sorted in about 20 natural shades and can be dyed in different colours making it perfectly suitable for our patterned and coloured blankets and throws. The light hollow fibres store heat at low temperatures and expel heat on warm days. Alpaca wool is light, silky and glossy and at the same time not only warmer than virgin wool, but also softer. The fibre falls very fluidly – which is why we choose to use this for our fine couch throws.

By the way: alpaca wool does not contain any wool grease (also referred to as lanolin) and is therefore especially skin friendly, thus perfectly suitable for people who are allergic to wool.

The cashmere goat mainly lives in the Himalayan region of the same name – its wool is one of the most precious, most high-grade and therefore most sought-after natural materials. Cashmere wool has been processed into materials for textiles for about 3000 years. The wool of the goat is a true luxury item: the fine wool fibres are combed out at the moment of the fur change. During this process, only about 150 grams per goat can be gathered. The sorting is also done manually: by colour and quality.

Cashmere is a precious wool which exhibits extremely good thermal properties with minimal net weight – the fibres of the undercoat are extra fine and comparatively long at up to 90 millimetres. The hairs are bright and can therefore be easily processed to textiles of varied colour. Articles made of cashmere are luxury items – a longer fibre length is particularly important for blankets in order to get a pleasant pile. If cared for properly, the wonderful soft touch of cashmere will remain for years to come.

By the way: because of the limited availability of cashmere and therefore its desirability, one should watch out for mixed fabrics and counterfeiting. Within the European Union, the name “cashmere” or “cashmere parts” is not sufficient for the best quality. Only the highest-quality goods made of pure cashmere wool may carry the name “100% cashmere” – this is the quality we use in our blankets, throws and garments.

Although previously unknown, Viscose has gained popularity in recent years. It combines the best characteristics of two natural fibres: its appearance is similar to cotton and it feels similar to silk. Even though this fibre is manmade, it is not a synthetic fibre but chemically produced from natural cellulose.

The pulp is obtained in a complex, multistage process from woods such as Beech or Spruce. The pasty mass produced as a result is also referred to as viscous – which is the eponym for the final material. From these fibres or filaments viscose fabrics are manufactured. The viscose fibre outperforms the features of cotton in many aspects: it absorbs more moisture, and therefore has very good hygienic characteristics, it is temperature-regulating and skin-friendly. Viscose does not stretch, and it is very well suited to be dyed and printed due to its perfectly even threads and does not require ironing normally. These are also the reasons for its extensive use in various other industries besides the textile industry, it can also be found in gauze, wet wipes or tea bags and in bank notes for instance.

With its large share of 35% viscose, our SOFT-FLEECE®-family combines all of these fantastic features – this is why we aptly call it “THE BEST SOFT-FLEECE ALL OVER THE WORLD!”

Microfiber is one of the finest and therefore lightest synthetic fibres developed today. Its best-known use is in sportswear – but it is also highly suitable for many other product categories. Usually, microfiber is manufactured from polyester, acrylic or polyamide – a material which was developed in the 1930’s as a low-priced alternative to the more valuable silk.

Whether as part of a mixed or unmixed processed fabric, microfiber stands for high durability and tear resistance, fast drying, strong absorbency and easy care which is, for instance, ideal for blankets that have to be washed very often. The fibre is also very soft, fuzz-resistant and dimensionally stable. These features are particularly important for kids’ blankets.

Contrary to popular belief, cotton does not grow on trees. In fact, the plant is a bush. Strangely enough, the German word for cotton is “tree wool” – this name probably originates from the fact that cotton seeds spread over large distances, just like tree seeds. This is because of the long plant fibres which enable the spreading of the seeds.

Cotton is one of the oldest cultivated plants and has been used for thousands of years across the world to produce light weight clothing. Its big moment came at the beginning of the 19th century, with the start of the industrial revolution. Through its increased availability, which in turn was due to its cultivation in the British colonies, cotton also began to gain ground as an important economic commodity.

The process from farm to fibre involves ginning and carding after which the fibre is spun into threads ready to be woven or knitted into various materials. Cotton fibres are very absorbent, skin-friendly and non-allergenic. It is long-lasting and very tear-resistant, especially in moist conditions. Its big advantage is its easy care – although its drying process takes a longer time than the drying of synthetic fibres.

“Woven moonlight” – this poetic name arose in Ancient Egypt from the processing of the linen fibre into delicate fabric for women’s dresses and priest’s robes. Linen was already known in Egypt and Mesopotamia more than 5000 years ago. The flax plant is said to be one of the oldest and most varied agricultural crops of the world. Long fibres are spun from the flax plant and then woven into linen. For a very long time, flax was the only plant product from which cloth was produced – even cotton followed some time later.

Linen is currently undergoing a renaissance. The plant does not require a lot of water or fertilization making its cultivation more environmentally friendly than cotton. The fibre is naturally durable, anti-static and tear, dirt, and bacteria resistant. Linen is cooling and very breathable making it highly suitable for bed linens, sheets and cushions used in Spring and Summer. Its special feel and desired “noble wrinkling” make linen a unique and sought after fabric.

Our recommendation: always check the quality. In contrast to half-linen, pure linen offers the highest share of linen within the fabric; it is also firmer, more precious and more noble.