Gentle Wool, Finally: How Véloise™ Polylactic Acid × Wool Blend Redefines Comfort for Sensitive Skin

Wool has always been a symbol of natural warmth and heritage luxury. But let’s face it—when it comes to wearing wool next to skin, many flinch. It itches. It irritates. It shrinks. And for those with sensitive skin, it’s often a no-go zone.

According to a 2021 study published in *Dermatitis*, 22.6% of sensitive skin users reported itchiness, redness, or discomfort when exposed to untreated wool fibers. These symptoms are not rare—they are real barriers to wool’s otherwise exceptional thermal and ecological value.

A Material Caught Between Tradition and Sensitivity 

Wool is breathable, thermoregulating, biodegradable—but also finicky. It warps when wet, shrinks under heat, and its coarse fibers can cause microabrasions. Worse still, wool garments are rarely recycled due to fiber blending complexity and dye retention challenges. The Circular Fibres Initiative (2020) estimates that less than 7% of wool textiles are successfully recycled worldwide. 

The Véloise™ Solution: Teaching Wool to Be Gentle 

What if wool didn’t have to choose between warmth and softness? By blending long-fiber, plant-based Polylactic Acid  with premium wool, Véloise™ has created a new-generation textile that’s both high-performance and skin-compatible. PLA, derived from agricultural waste like straw, brings hypoallergenic properties, natural antibacterial resistance, and structural resilience. When integrated with wool, it does three powerful things:

- Reduces fiber-level prickle and friction

- Improves dimensional stability (no more post-wash warping)

- Enables full lifecycle recycling via NFC/RFID + blockchain tracking 

A 2023 study in *Textile Research Journal* showed that PLA-infused wool blends lowered the Fiber Prickle Index by 36.2%, making them significantly more tolerable for those with reactive skin. 

Made to Be Worn Close 

This isn’t heritage wool stuck in the past. This is everyday wool that works like high-performance cotton. Perfect for:

- Next-to-skin sweaters: warm but itch-free, smooth and structured 

- Wool scarves and hats: wearable for kids, allergy-prone, and winter lovers

 - Thermal underwear: breathable, antibacterial, and stays in shape 

- Sleepwear and blankets: cozy comfort without scratchy layers

Softness with a Backbone 

This fabric isn’t just softer—it’s smarter. With Véloise™’s dual-channel recycling platform, every meter of this wool blend can be traced, collected, and regenerated. From fiber to fabric and back again. So yes, it’s still wool—but it finally listens to your skin. And it respects the planet, too. 

That’s what we call a gentle revolution.