Pure wool blanket

Our pure new wool throws are woven from 100% New Zealand wool and made in Ukraine. They are the warmest throws we make, 5/5 on our own scale, and start at £55.90. Delivery is free across the UK from our Coventry warehouse.

One honest note before you buy: this wool is coarser than merino and can feel scratchy on bare skin. It scores 3/5 for softness on our scale. Put it over a duvet, a cotton sheet or a jumper, and you will hardly notice.

What does pure new wool mean?

Pure new wool is wool shorn from living sheep that has never been used in a product before. Ours is 100% New Zealand wool with nothing blended in: no nylon, no synthetics. The term tells you the wool is new and pure; it does not tell you how fine it is, which is why a pure wool blanket can feel crisper than a merino one. Lambswool is pure new wool from a young sheep's first shearing.

Three kinds of pure wool throw

• Reversible, 130 × 170 or 150 × 215 cm: densely woven at 550 g/m², with one side in each colour, such as grey and mustard or olive green and mustard. The edges are finished with a reinforced blanket stitch instead of fringes.
• Lambswool, 140 × 200 cm: 380 g/m², in solid colours, stripes or herringbone, with 5 cm fringes at both ends included in the size.
• Rhombus, 140 × 200 cm: a Scandinavian rhombus pattern with 10 cm fringes included in the size.

Warm and hard-wearing

When warmth comes first, this is the throw to choose: it scores a point higher than our merino throws on our scale. Like all wool, it holds still air between its fibres, which is what keeps you warm, and it takes up moisture without feeling clammy. Coarser wool is also hard-wearing, so these throws cope with daily use and can take a firm shake.

A wool blanket for the bed

On a single bed, a 140 × 200 cm throw is a good size to lay over the duvet: UK single mattresses are usually 90 × 190 cm. The 150 × 215 cm reversible throw is longer still. On a double, lay the 130 × 170 cm throw across the foot of the bed, on top of the duvet, where it adds a layer of warmth and stays away from your face. Away from the bed, these throws suit a cold spare room, a reading chair or an autumn evening on the terrace.

Care

Airing is usually all a wool throw needs: hang it outdoors for a few hours, out of direct sun and rain, and give it a good shake. When it needs a proper clean, have it dry cleaned (P). Do not bleach, tumble dry or iron, and wash it only if its care label allows. If you would rather have wool that is soft on bare skin, choose our merino throws; how the fibres differ is explained in our guide merino vs cashmere vs pure wool.