WOOL V. KAPOC FOR BEDDING

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 82, 16 March 1931, Page 2

WOOL V. KAPOC FOR BEDDING

MANUFACTURERS’ STATEMENT THE ODOUR OF ANIMAL PRODUCT WOOL TOO EXPENSIVE FOR PUBLIC PURSE Regarding the opinions expressed in the papers that teased wool for bedding should be used instead of kapoc', in view of the'low price of the farmer, an Auckland manufacturing firm has replied to inquiries from Mr. E. D. Evans, Stratford. “This question of the utilising of scoured and teased wool for bedding has cropped up in the Manufacturers’ Association in Auckland,’’ wrote Tattersfield, Ltd., manufacturers of mattresses, rugs, etc., under date March 12 to Mr. Evans, “and enclosed is a copy of a letter they asked me to write to them explaining the use of wool.as a bedding material. Since the letter was written, the wool market has materially altered, and I have doubts if wool can be bought to-day at a price that would enable us to use it economically in mattresses. However, should you have any clients who want to send their wool into you to be made into bedding, we can prepare it for you.’’ The letter to the Manufacturers’ Association, dated February 15, is as follows: “In response to your telephone inquiry regarding the use of wool for mattresses I purposely delayed replying to your letter in order that I could make further experiments with low-grade New Zealand scoured wools, but it only goes to confirm what I told you over the telephone, that there are very few grades of wool suitable for mattresses, and we should strongly advise anyone adopting this method to use only very good crutchings or lambs’ wool. “The scouring of wool for commercial purposes does not take the odour out of the wool. It is impossible to get out the whole of the grease, and immediately the mattress gets hot with contact with the body the wool itself gives off a certain smell which is . somewhat unpleasant, and we use wool for mattresses which we have done very frequently after adopting the method of scouring and dyeing, and then putting through the textile carder, all of which processes are expensive. I should doubt if at any time animal products are as hygienic for beds as vegetable products, and it seems to me that with wool about the price it is, and kapoc the price it is, the finished mattress made from dyed wool would be more expensive. At the same time it would be a long, long way better proposition from the standpoint of wearing. “In reference to the price of wool, I doubt very- much whether you could obtain any wool suitable for mattressmaking at 5d a lb., even at to-day’s market. The wool mentioned in the newspapers at 2d is ridiculous, and could not possibly be used for, the purpose. Nevertheless, there is little doubt that properly-treated processed wool does make a most magnificent mattress, and would give many years of hard wear and all the comfort that anybody would need. It is essential that the cost of preparing the wool for the purpose should be added to the dead cost, together with the shrinkage in the scouring of the wool, and for that reason 1 am afraid that the finished product will be too expensive for the rank and file of the purchase of bedding at' the present time.”