Natural Fibres

Natural fibres are simply the best for baby, the touch and warmth they receive from birth should be nourishing and healing and so it's only natural that the clothing and nappies they spend most of their time in should be organic, natural and not chemically treated. The Disana range has the GOTS label meaning that all aspects of the materials and manufacture of the garments meet the highest standard in organic and ethically made textiles. 

Our favourite fibres for babies and children are:

Merino Wool 

Pure wool can absorb up to a third of its own weight in moisture without feeling damp. Thanks to its lanolin content, the fibre also offers protection from external wetness, with pearls of water forming on its surface. Wool is not electro statically charged, and so its attraction  to dirt or odour is minimal. The scales on the surface of the fibres actually repel dirt. Woollen clothing therefore seldom needs to be washed and usually simply airing will suffice. 

Merino wool is the perfect fibre for socks. Wool is a protein fibre, and works in harmony with the human body due to its similarity to human hair. In contact with sweat the fibre surface turns to sour pH-values hampering the development of bacteria and funghi. This environment causes the skin to tighten, avoiding blisters even on long hikes. For that reason you should wear woollen socks only for one day, and then air it for two days. It is sufficient to wash socks worn/aired like this every 2 months. Most washing detergents are alkaline and neutralize the above mentioned effect so you should only wash Hirsch wool socks with gentle wool detergents or shampoo, and if possible by hand.

Caring for Wool Garments

Wool is an excellent investment for clothing and when washing is necessary here are my tips

• Use a mild wool shampoo (we recommend the Disana Wool Shampoo)
• Use a cold wash or maximum temperature of 30°C.
• Hand wash (immerse in a sink of water with wool wash, gently swish around for a minute, squeeze out under running tap to rinse, squeeze excess water, dry in sun)
• Every couple of months re-lanolise your garment to add back lanolin that has been removed by washing (dissolve lanolin conditioner in a little hot water in a sink, add luke warm water, immerse garment, swishing about gently, squeeze out excess water and dry
• To avoid felting wool should not be soaked, rubbed, wrung out or brushed wet. Wool should never be dried on a heater or tumble dryer. 

A note about darning. Darning is back. If you haven't tried darning, once you do you'll be actively seeking out garments with holes to darn! Mending is a highly satisfying thing in today's age of disposable clothing. Here are some instructions on darning. Give it a go and be proud of your holes, even darning them in a different colour perhaps.

Organic Cotton

Although cotton is a natural fibre, its cultivation is often problematic and involves high usage of water and agricultural chemicals. The use of organic cotton ensures that soil fertility and biodiversity is enhanced due to the diversified cultivation and the non-use of GMOs. As a consequence, the health of the farmer is improved and their risk of being contaminated by hazardous chemicals minimized.  Water is not polluted by chemicals and therefore aquatic life is maintained and unharmed by cotton production. The used water is recycled and dyestuff is removed so unnecessary pollution is avoided. Since skin can 'breathe' and absorb what is placed on the body, the natural purity of organic cotton from farming and processing greatly reduces the impact of the harmful chemicals being exposed to the child's skin.

Cotton:

• can absorb about 20% of its own weight in moisture without feeling wet
• is pleasantly soft to wear
• is permeable to air and actively breathes 
• is highly resistant to friction and tearing 
• tolerates high temperatures and can easily be washed at over 150°C 

In the Disana Nappy Set, organic cotton is used whenever high fluid absorbency is required - namely in nappies and liners. Once absorbed, the fluid is quickly distributed over the whole fabric. A knitted organic cotton nappy with a weight of 85g can therefore absorb and contain up to 100ml of fluid. Thanks to its chemical composition as a carbohydrate fibre, cotton is resistant to heat, mechanical pressure and many chemicals. It can therefore easily be machine washed at 95°C. A hot iron will increase the volume of the cotton and leave it feeling softer and fluffier.

Care instructions

• Machine wash at up to 95° 
• Do not bleach
• Gentle tumble dry or dry in sun to bleach and remove stains
• Hot iron up to 200° 
• Do not dry-clean

Peruvian Pima Cotton

Pima cotton grown in Peru is the world's finest cotton, prized for its exceptional durability, softness and brilliant lustre. Thanks to ideal growing conditions and naturally rich volcanic soil it has an extra-long staple length and requires less fertiliser than commercial cotton making it more environmentally sound. Careful hand harvesting of Peruvian Pima Cotton results in a brilliant shade of white that is perfect for dyeing without the need for bleaching. The extra long fibres makes the cotton softer, more absorbent and stronger meaning garments hold their shape and last longer. 

Raw Silk 

Raw Silk (aka Organic Silk) is created without the use of any chemicals or treatments using insecticides, pesticides or synthetic fertilisers. The silkworms are allowed to live out their full lives and die naturally. 

Raw Silk can absorb up to 30% of its own weight in fluid without feeling damp.

Raw silk contains many antimicrobial materials. The healing and anti-inflammatory properties of these antimicrobial materials is also effective on human skin. Silk also feels pleasantly smooth and cool to wear.

Silk is:

• luxurious and cool to touch
• hypoallergenic
• very lightweight
• breathable
• warm with superior insulating properties
• naturally strong and durable

Disana's Raw Silk Nappy Liner is very effective if your baby is susceptible to nappy rash. Placed directly on baby‘s skin, the healing properties of raw silk work quickly and any redness is soon cleared up without any use of powder or cream.

Silk is sensitive to high temperatures and will shrink if washed in too hot water. Silk articles should be treated with care.

Care instructions

• Hand wash or gentle machine wash max 30° C
• Do not bleach
• Do not tumble dry
• Iron damp at about 150° C
• Do not dry-clean