Ethically Harvested GOTS Certified Organic Wool

In a meadow at 10,000 feet above sea level, in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas, a herd of 1,000 robust Gaddi sheep roam about. They graze on organic pastures, tested biannually to monitor the absence of pesticides. A frigid, clear mountain stream runs downhill. Peaks over 20,000 feet high loom above. Herders and dogs keep an eye on any stray sheep. 

This herd lives in the Himachal Pradesh region of northern India, where 200,000 sheep wander throughout 40,000 hectares. The sheep are herded twice a year, when farmers shear them. The relationship is symbiotic. Domesticated sheep don’t lose their wool naturally, so they get haircuts that would otherwise become an overly burdensome coat, causing them to overheat and have their movement restricted. In a year, each sheep produces around two kilograms of wool, or about half a mattress worth.

For exceptional comfort, we use the highest-functioning natural fiber — pure organic wool. Wool keeps sheep warm and dry through harsh mountain winters and cool during the warm summer months. It has to — a sheep’s survival is dependent on it. 

Humans, too, rely on its powerful properties. We’ve used wool fiber for clothing for more than 10,000 years. No technology can outperform it — wool is still the preferred material for summer and winter outdoor adventurers. That’s because it’s warm (or cool) and breathable and stays dry. Gaddi sheep’s wool has fine, hollow fibers, so it’s particularly flexible and lightweight — and effective at transferring moisture from the body into the air. It’s those breathable fibers that make it naturally thermoregulating — keeping you insulated and warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. Wool also provides a natural odor management and flame retardant. The fibers will singe and char, but are very difficult to ignite.

Wool’s unparalleled efficacy makes it the ideal material for mattresses. More importantly, it's renewable — our farmers sustainably and ethically harvest the fleece. That’s why we use GOTS-certified organic wool in our mattresses and toppers. (For those that don’t use animal byproducts, we also offer a vegan certified and PETA-approved hybrid mattressand a topper, which don’t use wool.)

Of course, the quality of wool we use is exceptional. With a 27-micron fiber diameter, it is classified as "very fine."

“We give our farmers the tools to succeed — we make sure they are taken care of financially, their children are going to school, and they have access to medical care,” says Mathew. “And because their welfare is supported, we’ve made a big social impact, and the farmers are loyal and treat the sheep really well. Basically, the whole ecosystem benefits when we do the right thing.”By working closely with these farmers, we are able to keep prices low and quality high for our customers. That’s the promise of our farm to apparel concept.

Not to mention our commitment to sustainability. As with all ranching, intensive sheep farming can lead to overgrazing and degradation of pastures, but our sheep, led by our goats, regularly move from pasture to pasture naturally, allowing the areas to fully recover from grazing herds.