How Our Blankets Are Made

How Our Blankets Are Made

Our heirloom quality, 100% virgin wool blankets are made in the United States using traditional and sustainable methods.

Each spring we shear our sheep, removing the wool gently, completely and in one piece. After the wool is sheared off, we ship it off to be scoured. Scouring, a gentle washing process, cleans straw and other debris from the wool. Once that is complete, the lanolin floats to the top of the wash tubs and is collected for use in our High Meadow Skin Cream [LINK TO THAT PAGE] and other products.

After the wool is scoured, it is carded. The carding is done by two spinning drums with metal needles on them. Think of carding as combing the wool as the carding straightens out the wool fibers. After the wool is carded, it is spun. Spinning the wool in essence stretches it out into a long thread which can then be woven on a loom. Spinning produces the continuous threads required for the weaving.

Next, our wool is woven into blankets on a loom. Weaving is similar to knitting, but takes place on a loom producing large fabric. Finally, the fabric is finished into blankets. Finishing involves cutting the large fabric and then adding a binding to the perimeter of each blanket. Some of our woolens are then “napped,” which means they are brushed to make the fabric fluffy at the end.

Our mill has been producing woolen blankets since 1932. A family-owned mill started as a sawmill and gristmill in 1870, the company began producing woolen yarn in 1902. Over the next three decades, the family realized that their woolen products, produced using old-fashioned machinery and exuding old-fashioned charm along with incredible durability, soon became their best seller. As a result, these high quality 100% pure virgin wool blankets became the focus of their business. The mill reflects the charm and heritage of years past, together with the tradition of quality craftsmanship that you will find in each of our Shady Hill Farms wool blankets.