Natural Insulation: Sheep Wool, Hemp and More

 


Natural Insulation: Sheep Wool, Hemp and More

Because staying warm shouldn't cost the Earth — literally.

🧱 Insulation: The First Step to an Energy-Smart Home

Before you even think about heat pumps, solar panels, or triple glazing, ask yourself:

“How well is my home insulated?”

And more importantly:

“What is it insulated with?”

Most homes are wrapped in synthetic materials — like fibreglass or rigid foam — which do the job, but come with high embodied carbon and landfill problems.

Enter: natural insulation materials.
They’re sustainable, safe, and surprisingly effective.

🐑 The Case for Natural Insulation

Natural materials don’t just keep the heat in — they:

  • Are renewable and biodegradable

  • Have low embodied energy

  • Regulate humidity and breathability

  • Are safer to handle (no itchy skin or masks)

  • Can help avoid mould and condensation issues

Perfect for older homes, green retrofits, and anyone who doesn't want to insulate their loft with petrochemicals.

We know that the best duvets are filled with feathers rather than polyester - the same applies to the house.

🌾 Popular Natural Insulation Materials

🐑 Sheep Wool

  • Excellent thermal and sound insulation

  • Absorbs moisture without losing insulating power

  • Fire-resistant and naturally pest-repellent

  • Often available from UK farms

🌿 Hemp

  • Grown without pesticides, fast-growing

  • Comes in batts or blocks

  • Naturally breathable and mould-resistant

  • Absorbs more CO₂ during growth than it emits during production

🌾 Wood Fibre

  • Made from leftover timber pulp

  • Great for solid walls and floors

  • Dense, so good at thermal mass (keeps summer heat out too)

🌻 Flax, Jute, and Cotton

  • Often made from recycled clothing/textiles

  • Good all-round insulation with low impact

  • Best for internal walls or between studs

🍄 Mycelium and Straw Panels (emerging tech)

  • Still experimental, but exciting low-impact alternatives on the horizon

💰 What About Cost?

  • Natural insulation is sometimes more expensive upfront, but:

    • You may save on labour (easier to install)

    • Some can be DIYed

    • It can improve air quality and comfort

    • It lasts a long time, especially if kept dry

    • Financial support may be available via green grants

🔍 Where Can You Use It?

✅ Lofts
✅ Between floor joists
✅ Timber-frame walls
✅ Internal partition walls
✅ Campervans and garden rooms!

Yes — these materials aren’t just for eco-mansions. They’re great for normal homes.

Final Thought

Choosing natural insulation isn’t just about saving heat — it’s about choosing materials that give back to the Earth, not just take from it.

Because when you’re lying on your sofa, toasty and smug with your heating bills cut in half, wouldn’t it feel better to know the walls are padded with sheep’s wool rather than plastic foam?

LInk to Thermafleece and where you can buy it.

https://thermafleece.com/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Caffeine With a Conscience: Sustainable Coffee at Home

Image
  Caffeine With a Conscience: Sustainable Coffee at Home ( How to keep your brew strong but your footprint light ) For many of us, coffee is less a drink and more a survival mechanism. But behind every comforting cup is an industry that comes with a hefty environmental and social cost. From deforestation to exploitative labour , the true price of coffee can be far higher than what you pay at the till. The good news? You don’t have to give it up. You just need to drink it smarter. The Hidden Cost of Coffee Coffee production is linked to deforestation, water waste , and pesticide use . Global demand encourages intensive farming that depletes soils and biodiversity . Billions of single-use cups and pods end up in landfill every year. Your morning pick-me-up doesn’t have to be part of the problem. Choose Better Beans Look for certifications that mean something: Fairtrade : Farmers get a fairer deal. Rainforest Alliance : Supports biodiversity and sustainab...
Read more

Terracycling Explained: Because Some Plastics Just Won’t Die

Image
  Terracycling Explained: Because Some Plastics Just Won’t Die ( And yet somehow still end up in my cupboard ) We all know the recycling drill: bottles, cans, paper, cardboard. Simple enough. But then you’re left holding a crisp packet , a toothpaste tube , or that mysterious plastic wrapper that looks recyclable but definitely isn’t . Welcome to the world of Terracycle – where the plastics that haunt your kitchen finally get a second chance. 🧟 The Problem: Zombie Plastics Some plastics refuse to die. Local councils won’t take them because they’re: Mixed materials (foil + plastic = nightmare) Too lightweight to sort Too low-value to recycle profitably Result? Landfill . Incineration . Ocean. Repeat. 🧩 The Terracycle Solution Terracycle runs specialist recycling schemes for things that normally can’t be recycled: Crisp & snack packets Toothpaste tubes & brushes Coffee pods Make-up containers Rubber gloves Even cigarette butts (ye...
Read more

Using Ecosia: The Search Engine That Plants Trees

Image
  Using Ecosia: The Search Engine That Plants Trees ( Click. Search. Plant. Repeat. ) Imagine if every time you googled something, you planted a tree. No, it’s not some kind of green-tech fantasy — it’s Ecosia , a real search engine that uses its ad revenue to fund global reforestation projects. And all it takes is changing your browser’s homepage. What Is Ecosia? Ecosia is a free, privacy-respecting search engine based in Germany. It works just like Google or Bing, but with a twist: They use 100% of their profits to plant trees. So far, they've funded over 180 million trees in places like: Brazil Burkina Faso Madagascar Indonesia Kenya All you have to do is search the web. That’s it. You search — they plant. How It Works Every time you search on Ecosia, the platform earns revenue from clicks on sponsored search results (just like Google). Roughly 45 searches = 1 tree . The money goes to vetted reforestation projects with a focus on: Native bi...
Read more