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5 Best Wool Blankets and Wool Throws 2021
Wool blankets and wool bed throws vary in price from as little as £20-£30 right up to hundreds of pounds. So, why is there such a range, I hear you ask, whilst banging your fist on the table?
The main thing which affects the price is the type of wool, which can roughly be split into four categories. In order of price:
The benefits of wool have been investigated in a number of academic publications and papers. For example, in 2011, Stanton published 'Improving Comfort in Clothing', which stated that wool 'performs well in comparative objective measurements for moisture and thermal properties'.
Meanwhile, an experiment was carried out by Kofler et al for a 2015 paper which asked 12 sports science students to walk for an hour whilst wearing either wool clothing or a synthetic material called polyester microfibre. The result was a positive one for the wool material, which 'led to a dryer shirt and lower humidity underneath the shirt and jacket'. There was also a better 'Core temperature and skin temperature drop' with the wool clothing.
Anyway, without further woolly waffle, here are 5 of the best wool throws and wool blankets for sale in the UK. We’ve picked out a range of different types of wool blanket, including some cheap wool throws and some luxury wool blankets.
The main thing which affects the price is the type of wool, which can roughly be split into four categories. In order of price:
- Cheap wool blankets are made from wool mixed with synthetic materials such as acrylic or from recycled wool (e.g. old woolly jumpers and wool rugs). Expect to pay under £50.
- Mid-priced wool blankets are 100% ‘pure new wool’ which means it comes directly from a fully-grown sheep during their usual shave. Expect to pay £30-£100.
- Posher wool blankets are made from 100% lambswool which is the lamb’s first shave or from Merino wool, which is a breed of sheep with particularly soft wool. Angora and mohair are also quite posh, but they're not so common. Expect to pay £70+
- Ultra-posh wool blankets are a mix of sheep’s wool with something like cashmere wool from goats or alpaca wool. Expect to pay £150+
The benefits of wool have been investigated in a number of academic publications and papers. For example, in 2011, Stanton published 'Improving Comfort in Clothing', which stated that wool 'performs well in comparative objective measurements for moisture and thermal properties'.
Meanwhile, an experiment was carried out by Kofler et al for a 2015 paper which asked 12 sports science students to walk for an hour whilst wearing either wool clothing or a synthetic material called polyester microfibre. The result was a positive one for the wool material, which 'led to a dryer shirt and lower humidity underneath the shirt and jacket'. There was also a better 'Core temperature and skin temperature drop' with the wool clothing.
Anyway, without further woolly waffle, here are 5 of the best wool throws and wool blankets for sale in the UK. We’ve picked out a range of different types of wool blanket, including some cheap wool throws and some luxury wool blankets.
1. Tweedmill Herringbone Pure New Wool Blanket/Throw - £34 (13 colour choices)
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This wool throw from Tweedmill is great value for money for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, it is 100% wool rather than a blend of wool with a synthetic material. A lot of cheap wool blankets and wool throws only use a little bit of wool so it’s a bit of a cheek to even call them a wool blanket. There is an argument that a 'wool mix' blanket can feel softer and less scratchy but wool is really good at keeping you at a comfortable temperature, whereas synthetic materials can make you overheat. Secondly, it’s made from 'pure new wool' which means that it is made from wool taken straight from the sheep, rather than from recycled jumpers, rugs etc. This Tweedmill blanket comes in a big choice of 13 colours and styles including shades of green, blue and grey. Customer scores are positive, with an average of 4.4/5 from 50+ reviews, at the time of writing. It is 70cm x 180cm which might be a little on the small side for some people. That's not really an ideal size blanket for using on your bed unless you are just trying to keep your toes warm. It's more designed for keeping your lap warm whilst you're sat on the sofa. However, the same company makes a larger wool blanket which is similar in style and materials (£55). It's 150 x 183cm which is a good size for using as a bed throw on a double or king size mattress. It won't cover the pillows (you'll need a bedspread for that) but it will cover most of the bed and hang over the sides. You can put either size into the washing machine on a cool setting. Pros: 100% wool, good choice of colours, low price Cons: quite small, less famous brand than some on this guide Our Value Rating: ***** (Our value rating is based on whether we think the product offers a lot for the price on the day. We look at factors such as materials used, customer reviews and brand reputation. Five star products are those which we think are exceptionally good value. Four star means 'very good value'. 'Good value' products get three stars whilst 'reasonably good value' products get two stars and one star products are 'poor value' in our opinion) |
This good value wool blanket comes in 13 different colours...
...or you can upgrade to a larger one which comes in a smaller range of colours
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2. Made.com Burley Wool Throw Blanket - £39 (3 colour choices)
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This Burley wool blanket from Made.com is another good value choice.
It's made from 70% lambswool, which is posher than standard 'pure new wool' or 'recycled wool'. The key difference is that it's made from the first shave of the lamb which makes for softer and finer wool than you get when it's a fully grown sheep. It's sometimes known as 'virgin wool'. The lambswool is blended with 30% synthetic materials, so it's not quite as posh as the 100% lambswool blanket featured further down in this guide. However, it's less than half the price. It's not a huge blanket at 125cm x 170cm. You could only really use it as a bed throw on a single bed but it'll be fine for keeping warm on the sofa. There are three colours available including grey, pink and dark blue. Customer reviews are currently averaging 4.5/5. If you want a big wool blanket which is similar then Made.com also sell a Klara blanket (£59) which is also 70% lambswool. It's 200cm x 200cm so I'd call it a king size wool blanket. It's only available in a mustard colour. Pros: popular retailers, good value, lambswool rather than 'pure new wool' Cons: quite small, only a choice of three colours Our Value Rating: ***** |
This Made.com blanket is made from 70% lambswool, which is softer than normal wool...
...and they make a larger version which is a bit more expensive.
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3. Linen & Cotton 100% Merino Wool Blanket/Throw - £69 (2 colour choices)
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Rather confusingly, this blanket is made by a company called Linen & Cotton, although it's actually made from Merino Wool.
Merino Wool blankets and throws are certainly at the posher end of the wool blanket market in the UK. Merino wool is softer - and more expensive - than 'normal' wool. It's also particularly good at absorbing smells, so it's ideal for breaking wind on the sofa. This Merino wool blanket is cheaper than many we've found and it gets positive reviews from customers. It's a decent-sized bed throw at 140cm x 200cm, meaning it will hang over by about 30cm on each side on a double bed or 25cm each side on a king size mattress. The colour choice is limited to two options - grey or green. If you want different patterns, you can get a similar 100% Merino wool blanket from a company called Sarah Raven (£119). Pros: merino wool, good size, positive reviews Cons: only two colours Our Value Rating: **** |
A Merino Wool blanket is a posher alternative to standard wool blankets and throws
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4. Bronte By Moon Herringbone 100% Lambswool blanket - £95 (4 colour choices)
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A 100% lambswool blanket is a notable upgrade from a 'pure new wool' blanket - as you may have gathered from the price increase.
This wool throw from a Yorkshire company called Bronte By Moon is sold at John Lewis & Partners and is made from 100% lambswool. You get a choice of four different colours including grey, beige, navy blue and yellow (Ed: I think you mean 'honey' rather than 'yellow'). It's a generously sized blanket at 185cm x 140cm. That means you can use it as a bed throw which will fit nicely onto a double bed with a 25cm overhang on both sides or a king size bed with about 15cm overhanging on both sides. The main downside with this lambswool blanket is that you have to dry clean it. I'm not sure that I'd ever get round to it... Pros: soft and luxurious material, nice colours, fairly good size Cons: expensive, dry clean only Our Value Rating: *** |
A lambswool blanket like this one is made with the first shearing of a lamb...
...and it comes in a modest range of colours
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5. The White Company Luxury Wool-Cashmere Throw - £170 (2 colour choices)
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The poshest and most expensive wool blankets are made with cashmere from goats or alpaca wool from, er, alpaca.
If you want a 100% cashmere blanket or throw then you'll probably need to be a Premier League footballer or a hedge fund manager. For example, this rather nice 100% cashmere throw from Brora is £695. A more realistic option is a blanket or throw which is a blend of cashmere or alpaca with other types of wool. For example, The White Company offer this cashmere and wool blanket which is 20% cashmere and 80% wool. It comes in a choice of light grey or dark grey, which is ideal if you like grey, but less good if you like any other colour. It's a large blanket at 140cm x 200cm so you could use it as a bed throw on a double or king size bed. Unfortunately, you can only dry-clean this wool blanket. Pros: luxurious material, large size, well-known brand Cons: limited choice of colours, only 20% cashmere Our Value Rating: *** |
A wool-cashmere throw is a posh option - but it isn't cheap
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