Are Wool Underlays the Same as Wool Toppers?

Have you ever wondered whether there’s a difference between a woollen underlay and a wool topper? If you have, you’re not alone. While many of us are now aware of the benefits that come with using woollen bedding, there are so many different products available that you can be forgiven if you’re feeling a little confused. So, we’re going to explain what makes an underlay an underlay and when a topper is a topper!

You Can See the Difference

Surprisingly, perhaps the easiest way to decide whether it’s a wool underlay or a topper is to take a look at the construction. An underlay is usually fitted to your mattress with a cotton skirt and has wool visible on the outside, like a cosy sheep fleece. A topper, on the other hand, has a more quilt like appearance with a quilted cotton cover encasing the woollen filling. Four corner straps are used to fit your topper to the mattress and stop it from moving around.   

When to Use an Underlay in Preference to a Topper

Both underlays and toppers are used on top of the mattress and under the sheet to provide extra cushioning and to extend the life and cleanliness of your mattress by protecting it from stains from sweat, moisture and spills. But which one should you use?

Underlays help to distribute your body weight more evenly and may assist in reducing pressure on specific body areas. Plus, when they are made of wool, they help your body to remain at its optimum temperature. During the winter, the wool will help to keep you cosy while in summer, the underlay can be reversed so that the cotton side is uppermost. Woollen underlays tend to be more expensive than wool toppers as they are reversible.

In comparison, while toppers do offer extra softness and comfort, they are primarily designed to give your mattress protection from sweat and dirt. Toppers are usually not reversible, and as the woollen interior is encased in a cotton cover, you don’t get the benefits that you would from lying directly on the wool; although this may be preferable for anyone who may have an allergy to wool. In general, toppers cost less than a similar size and quality of underlay and weigh less too. 

The Choice is Yours

Whether you prefer to buy an underlay or topper will usually be based on budget and personal preference. You may pay more for an underlay, but you’ll benefit from sleeping on a woollen surface. If you’re looking for a less expensive option or if you have a wool allergy, a topper may work better for you. But whether you choose a topper or an underlay, if it’s made from 100% Australia wool you can look forward to a more comfortable and natural sleeping experience.

Create a Cosy Bed for Your Toddler

We all love that feeling of climbing into our own bed when we’re tired. It’s our haven; it’s a place where we feel safe and secure. And the same goes for your little ones. Toddlers and young children love the security and familiarity of their own beds, even though they do seem to be able to fall asleep anywhere and everywhere. However, there are often times when they just don’t want to go to bed. If you’ve experienced this with your child, it may be time to let them help you to create a cosy bed together with a wool doona and some new bedding. 

Why Choose a Wool Quilt for Your Toddler’s Bed? 

Wool bedding is a great option for babies and small children. Why? Because scientific studies carried out at the University of Sydney have shown that it can improve sleep by up to 25%. And we’d all like our little ones to sleep a little better, wouldn’t we? There are several reasons why woollen bedding can help to improve sleep, but the main reason is because wool has the natural ability to regulate our temperature. Just think about it, wool fibres have evolved to keep sheep warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot. They are naturally adapted to keep the sheep at a consistent temperature. 

Woollen quilts also have a great ability to absorb moisture, so your little one won’t wake up ‘wet with sweat’. The moisture absorbed by the fibres is released back into the atmosphere to keep your toddler dry and comfortable. 

You may also have heard that wool bedding is hypoallergenic. Dust mites have a hard time surviving in wool, so they simply don’t grow. Therefore, it’s a great choice if your child suffers from asthma or eczema.

How Practical is a Woollen Quilt? 

It’s a good question. The idea of having a heavy woollen quilt which needs specialist cleaning is probably the main reason that many people are put off buying one. However, with modern technology and treatments, it’s now possible to buy a washable wool doona that you can clean in your washing machine. In the past, washing wool may have caused it to ‘felt’ i.e. cause the fibres to bind together tightly and shrink. Today’s modern wool quilts have been treated to ensure that this doesn’t happen. 

Adding the Finishing Touches

Creating a cosy bed is not all about the kind of bedding you use. Your child will be excited to go to bed if their quilt covers and pillowcases are adorned with their favourite characters or colours. Whether your little one is into Spiderman, Frozen or they just love the colour yellow; indulge them by buying bedding sets that they can relate to. Other ideas include putting up canopies or curtains that can be drawn around the bed to create a private hideaway. 

Use your imagination and create a cosy bed for your toddler this winter.

How to choose your pillows and quilts if you have allergies

Millions of Australians live with allergies of various descriptions, some with occasional symptoms, some more severe. Sneezing, itchy eyes, eczema, and sinus issues, these are just some of the crippling symptoms of allergies affecting Australians every day. However, one of the key contributing factors can often be overlooked – your quilts and pillows!

That’s right - your quilt and pillows, which you lay to rest with every night, could be wreaking havoc with your allergies.

How do pillows and quilts affect allergies?

Dust mites, sweat, dead skin and other allergens can become trapped within your cushions and pillows, meaning you are wrapping up with such allergens for 6 to 8 hours every single night. Washing pillows and quilts regularly will help to rid your bedding of some of these nasties – but not all. 

If you suffer from allergies, investing in protective anti-allergy bedding could make a significant difference on your quality of sleep, and your quality of life – but there are some things you need to consider:

1.       Know the difference between hypoallergenic and anti-allergy

Some pillows and cushions will be advertised as “hypoallergenic” and others as “anti-allergy” – these are not to be confused as one of the same. 

"Hypoallergenic" means that the pillow or quilt is less likely to cause allergies while an "Anti-allergy" pillow or duvet has been treated specifically to combat the development of dust mites and offer protection against other allergens. 

Therefore, if you want to experience a major difference in your allergy symptoms, an “anti-allergy” quilt or pillow is best choice for you.

2.       Look for a recognised seal of approval

As with any products, there are some that will make claims but be of far less quality than others. Lots of cushions and quilts may be labelled as “aiding allergies” but you can only truly trust in products that carry a seal of approval from a recognised Australian allergy body such as the National Asthma Council Australia, the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy or similar. A product that carries such a seal of approval can be trusted to deliver the anti-allergy benefits it promises.

3.       Ensure they still deliver the comfort and warmth you need

Some brands will only carry anti-allergy duvets in certain weights or pillows of a certain firmness – but you don’t have to compromise. You CAN have the best of both worlds – you just need to shop around. You can purchase anti-allergy pillows and quilts to meet whatever level of comfort and warmth you require with wool quilts and pillows your best bet.

4.       Understand the maintenance and care required

Anti-allergy pillows and quilts can be made from various materials and treated in various ways to offer the anti-allergy protection they promise. Because of this, the level of maintenance and care can vary quite a lot from product to product. Some just require regular washing to provide continued protection, a wool quilt largely just requires regularly airing while other materials require specialist cleaning or the use of specialist cleaning materials.

There is no better investment than in the quality of your sleep and the quality of life. If you are an allergy sufferer, purchasing anti-allergy quilts and pillows could prove a small investment that has significant benefits on your life, now and in the long term.

Sleep Easy in Australian Wool Bedding

When night-time comes around, the thought of getting into bed and drifting off should be an inviting prospect. However, many people suffer from lack of sleep. 

If you have ever struggled with sleeping, have you considered changing your bedding? Australian wool may help you to get that great night’s sleep that has been missing from your life and here’s why.

It gives you incredible comfort

When you look at a woolly sheep, their wool always looks soft and comfortable. By using an Australian wool underlay, you can benefit from this too. 

It provides you with snuggly comfort that encourages you to go into a deep sleep, and, as everyone knows, sleeping is a lot easier when you are feeling snug and secure. 

It keeps you at the right temperature

Have you ever felt too hot or cold during the night? An Australian wool quilt can change all of that and help you to sleep soundly. No longer will you wake up during the night feeling sweaty and sticky, preventing you from getting back to sleep. Wool cleverly regulates your temperature and keeps you feeling right throughout the night. It wicks away any moisture that is in the air and releases it when the conditions are right to do so. You’ll feel nothing but relaxed, which will help you to sink into a deep sleep.

What’s more, if you share a bed, wool will work for both of you. If one of you feels the cold more than the other, you won’t have to argue about what tog rating to get. Perfect. 

Natural bedding for naturally good sleep

Unlike synthetic materials, wool comes from a 100% natural source and as such, it is better for you. Wool is not only designed to keep sheep cool and warm, but it is also hypoallergenic. As humans, we can also benefit from this, which is why wool makes the perfect material for those who suffer from allergies. 

Dust mites do not survive within wool bedding because the material is too dry. As a result, if you ever have sneezing fits during the night, wake up with a runny nose or itchy eyes, this may all be put to rest by using wool. 

Along with this, you can feel confident that you are doing your bit to help the environment by choosing a natural and sustainable source for your bedding. 

With a great night’s sleep every night, you can wake up feeling refreshed, in better health and ready to take on whatever the day may throw at you. 

Wool can be used for both children and adults, so everyone in your household can reap the benefits. Find out more about our range of wool quilts and underlay at Halcyon Dreams.

Choosing a New Mattress: A Quick Guide

Poor sleep can be caused by many things. It could be a result of eating or drinking too much before you retire for the night, from being too hot or too cold, or it may be because your mattress needs to be changed. 

As mattresses age, they tend to provide less support and, depending on the type of mattress, may develop lumps and bumps. If you’re finding that, even with though it’s topped with a woollen underlay, your mattress is causing you problems, it could be time to buy a new one. 

There are many different types of mattress available from traditional pocket sprung types to more modern memory foam mattresses. We take a look at how to choose a new mattress. 

Understanding the Different Types of Mattress

Although there are many different types of mattress on the market, the four most popular mattresses are:

1.       Open-spring. Probably the most popular and most affordable, the open-spring mattress contains steel wire springs to offer support while you’re sleeping.

2.       Pocket-spring. These mattresses are more expensive as each spring is fully encased within a fabric pocket. Filled with either wool or synthetic fibres, they provide more support than an open-spring mattress.

3.       Latex. This type of mattress distributes your weight more evenly and thus offers a high level of support. It’s often chosen by people with allergies.

4.       Memory Foam. An increasingly popular choice, this type of mattress moulds itself to your shape. However, they do tend to make you feel quite hot, which is one of the reasons why many people prefer to add a wool underlay on top to regulate their temperature.

Soft, Medium or Firm?

If you choose a sprung mattress, you’ll find that they come in soft, medium or firm options. While this is often a personal choice, it is advised that the heavier you are, the firmer your mattress should be. If your mattress is too hard or too soft, it can cause problems. 

Always Try Your Mattress Before You Buy

The best way to ensure that your mattress will be comfortable is to try it out before you buy. And that means more than a quick sit on the bed; you’ll need to lie there for at least ten minutes. When lying down, try the ‘hand test’ – if there’s a gap between your hand and the small of your back the mattress is too hard, and if you can’t fit your hand between your back and the mattress, it’s too soft.

Remember, if you share a bed with someone, you’ll both need to try it out. 

Invest in the Best Mattress You Can Afford

We spend almost one-third of our life sleeping, so it makes sense to invest in the best mattress you can afford. And don’t forget to add an Aussie wool underlay for an extra level of comfort.