There’s a persistent myth floating around that acrylic is the only safe, stretchy, machine-washable choice for (generally) handmade baby projects, and that all wool is inevitably scratchy and high-maintenance. Wool can be every bit as gentle, durable, and user-friendly as acrylic, with a host of naturally engineered benefits no plastic fiber can match. This is not a discussion about cost, this is a discussion about choice of materials.

So why does wool, long accused of itchiness, outperform acrylic in everyday wear? Let’s start with wool’s in-fiber engineering.

Wool’s Secret Superpowers 

Wool is remarkable. The strands of fiber are structured with microscopic scales that trap air, this is what gives wool its superior insulating properties: it can keep you warm when it’s cool and also breathes and wicks away dampness in warmth. There’s a reason I wear wool socks year-round!

Wool also contains lanolin, a waxy substance that repels light moisture and offers mild antimicrobial action. That’s why most woolens don’t need to be washed frequently. Unlike acrylic, which can trap static and cling or pill quickly under wear, depending on how it was milled and the actual type of wool, it often stretches and rebounds gracefully, retaining shape even through countless wears. And because sheep grow a new coat each year, wool is both renewable and biodegradable.

Scratchy Wool

Not all fleeces (or sheep breeds) are the same. A combination of breed and processing into yarn can determine if it’s scratchy or cloud like. I’ve worked with wools that are softer than any acrylic and others that give 60 grit sandpaper a run for its money.

For more information about the structure of wool fibers, I highly recommend The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook  by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius.

Some individuals may have a sensitivity (scratchy) or an allergy (hives, breathing issues). If you find wools scratchy, you may find super fine merinos wearable.

Now that we’re mythbusters on scratchy wool, let’s consider acrylic, a favorite for no-fuss knits, but not without its risks.

Acrylic’s Hidden Hazard: Flame and Heat Risks

The easy-care nature of acrylic makes it popular, however there is a serious safety caveat around heat and open flames. Unlike wool’s natural flame resistance (fibers char and self-extinguish), acrylic can instead ignite, melt and drip hot plastic when exposed to flame or high heat. . Those molten beads can adhere to the skin, causing painful burns, and release toxic fumes as they burn. Again it depends on processing, there are additives that can help retard this process, but they may bring other concerns.

By contrast, wool will smolder rather than melt, giving you precious seconds to move or extinguish a spark. This is wool’s natural engineering at work, fiber choice can matter as much for safety as softness. It’s why blankets I make for a specific baby is made of superwash wool.

When Acrylic Is the Right Call

Why does this insistence on acrylic, specifically for babies persist? Yes, acrylic is inexpensive and machine wash friendly, yet its petroleum base sheds microplastics and pills over time. You may spend more replacing cheap acrylic items than investing once in heirloom-quality wool. If you spend the same time making the item whether in a super cheap or even incredibly expensive yarn, wouldn’t you like it to last?

However, acrylic still earns its place, especially in hospitals and shelters that have strict care requirements. Acrylic blankets can be laundered on hot cycles with bleach or disinfectants without felting, shrinking, or (likely) disintegrating, so they meet hospital-laundry protocols for infection control. They’re inexpensive enough that large batches can be produced and replaced as needed (especially given volunteers making them), and their colorfastness means frequent washes won’t leave streaks or faded patches.

For neonatal units or immunocompromised wards, acrylic’s lack of lanolin also reduces any risk of skin reactions.

This is why acrylic often becomes the practical fiber of choice for these institutions. However, if acrylic can check so many institutional boxes, is there a way to get wool that a no-fuss laundry profile? Enter superwash.

Superwash Wool: Machine-Washable Natural Fiber

“Superwash” refers to treatments that smooth or coat wool’s surface scales, so they no longer hook together and felt under agitation, making laundry day easy. There are several methods to create it, and they have differing degrees and types of environmental concerns. To learn more about the process, Sandi Rosner wrote an article about the process for Farm Fiber Knits and Clara Parkes wrote a quick primer on shrinkproofing wool.

No matter how it’s created the end result means that the Superwash wool can be machine-washed on gentle cycles and tumble-dried low.

I hope this post gives you an introduction to possibilities beyond acrylic for easy care projects.