Wool is one of those amazing fibers that does many things at once.

Wool breathes. Air passes naturallly through the fibers, preventing a build up of moisture.

Wool insulates. It traps enough air to build up a warm insulating layer. This same insulating layer also can work to keep you cool. For example, Bedouins in the Sahara wear flowing woolen robes to keep cool.

Wool is soft. Especially the finer kinds of wool such as merino and angora.

Wool is a natural fire retardant. This is a great advantage for bedding. Woolen mattresses and blankets will not catch fire as easily as some synthetics. Synthetics usually have to be treated with fire retardants such as PBDE's to pass fire safety standards. PBDE's have been banned in Europe because they might be carcinogenic.

Wool however, is a naturally flame resistant material. For example, back in the day, car racers and fire men wore wool padding in their suits to provide fire insulation.

Wool is inherently mould and dust mite resistant. This is especially important for bedding. Mould and dust mites are huge triggers for asthma. This makes wool a healthy bedding option, especially for asthmatics.

Wool is hypo-allergenic. Most people have no allergies to wool. A very small percentage of the population have lanolin allergy. However, usually people with wool allergies are actually reacting to the chemicals used to process wool. So organic wool is good for chemically sensitive skin.

Wool is a renewable resource. The wool is cut and grows again. In one year.

Wool is a hygroscopic insulator. This means wool can absorb moisture without feeling wet or clammy. It also means that even if wool does get wet, it still keeps you warm.

In fact, wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in water before it starts to feel wet. Wool's natural insulation properties means that even when wet it retains air, and stays warm.

Wool in essence, provides insulation, air conditioning, moisture-proofing, fire protection and warmth. All in one fiber.

Who were Humphrey and Bogart? Nothing to do with the famous actor. Actually Humphrey and Bogart were two goats that lived on the farm where I grew up.

Their relevance to this article is that they were Angora goats. Angora is a breed of goat, and they produce one of the finest wool types around.

Every breed of goat, or sheep produces a different type of wool. Some sheep produce coarser, springier wool. This is ideal for carpets. Other sheep produce fine soft wool, better for clothes and blankets.

Probably the softest finest type of wool is merino. Scientifically, Merino sheep have wool less than 24.5 micrometres in diameter. That's one thousanth of a millimeter, which is pretty small. You could fit hundreds of micrometers on the head of a pin.

And when you put on anything made with Merino wool, you can feel the difference.

For wool to be organic, it has to pass certain regulations.

The sheep have to be grazed in unsprayed fields and fed organic meal.

Organic wool needs to be processed without using chemicals. Usually, wool is carbonized. This involves washing the wool in a mild acid to clean it. It has the effect of making the wool slightly harsher.

Carbonizing can also strip the natural lanolin from the wool. Lanolin is an oil inherent in wool. It comes from sheep (and smells like sheep) and acts as a waterproofing agent for wool.

Organic wool is also dyed using organic, not chemical based dyes. Often, it is not dyed at all, as different wools have their own natural colors.