Beware of wool "disaster blankets"

An old friend of mine opened a surplus store and I had the opportunity to check it out. I was looking at the wool blankets he had in stock and saw a nice cheap grey one called a "Wool disaster blanket". I had seen these on-line at different places and they were always enticeingly cheap in price. Now I know why. They are essentially a blanket made out of dryer lint and held together with just enough wool to do the job. This one said right on it, "Do not launder or dry clean". It would never hold together.

reply to post by Sideband


Thanks for the heads up.

They get away with calling them "blankets"?
How comforting. Not.

I think I would rather be stuck with a space blanket.

Old wool blankets are good, I have a few that are decades old.
They have been washed, and kept away from moths. They are not as big as they started out to be,
but nice and soft, and would definitely work well. One is even cheery, with orange and red stripes.

reply to post by Sideband


It appears those are similar to the blankets handed out to the homeless in my area. Perhaps this is why they are littered all over the city parks. Definitely stock good quality (note: does not equal expensive) wool blankets for emergency use and forget this crap.

seriously?
they use laundry lint!!!!?

how can they get away with this?
Laundry lint, from clothes/fabrics that were once dirty.

that is SICK!!!

Are you sure they weren't made out of recycled plastic bottles?
A lot of Fleece material is made of that now. You can't wash / dry them as they essentially melt, as I found out with a cheap duvet I recently bought

Plastic into fleece

reply to post by davespanners


Oh, thats terrible.

I try and recylcle all of my everything recylclable.
Now they make "clothes" out of this stuff?

Edit to add, are there certain brands that dont use bottles?
Anyone?

How does one get the lint to hold together at all? I prefer the wool ones but they make some people itchy - still very warm and a lighter non wool blanket can be used underneath.

Da! afterthought - how can they call these blankets "wool" if they are made of dryer lint?

reply to post by Sideband


Do you remember where they're made. China? USA? Bolivia?
Paraguay?

Make sure you roll it all over your body as its coated with a nice dose of small pox

Originally posted by burntheships

I try and recylcle all of my everything recylclable.
Now they make "clothes" out of this stuff?

Edit to add, are there certain brands that dont use bottles?
Anyone?

If you are buying fleece, you are buying a garment that is made from polyester (i.e. petroleum product) and in *Most cases it's also wholly or partially made from recycled material. It doesn't matter if you buy cheap or expensive (i.e. NF, Patagonia, Mtn. Hardware, ArcTeryx, etc.). You can find 100% polyester that is not made from recycled material, but don't assume, based on brand or price. Remember - the recycled materials are marketed as better for the environment and therefor, the In Vogue thing to buy. (ETA) Not suggesting don't buy them of course, but quality counts ...

reply to post by leira7


I should maybe restate that. I don't think they are literally dryer lint, but the material is very similar in weight and texture. It wasn't "fleece", the man made, recycled soda bottle stuff. I wouldn't mind a nice fleece blanket that size and the fleece ones are washable. I'd probably not dry it though.

armynavysuperstores.com...

The top picture is what I'm talking about.
New Disaster Blankets

96"X38"
30% Recycled Wool
70% Man Made Fiber

and cheap:-)

deleted, combined a post

wow this thread is sad.

People actually thought they were made out of laundry lint for real?

this site is getting worse and worse

reply to post by LadySkadi


Lady Skadi,

Thanks. So, its the "environmentally freindly" stuff then.

My experience has been wool is great, though I am senstive to it at times.

Once nice thing about fleece, you can dry it quick. I have even used my blowdryer on gloves.
Works great. If I need to buy anymore, I will try to stick to good qaullity fleece.
The pieces I have have already withstood many washings and even the dryer.
Columbia, North Face, guess I will stick with them.

The military blanket is the way to go. I am an antique dealer and I have one that I kept for myself from WWII - warm and in excellent condition. I always put it in the car in the winter in case I get stuck and its cold.

deleted, combined a post

Disaster Blankets =Disposable Blankets


Do a Google search for Disposable Blankets. That is what you have got there. One time temporary use only. There are never meant to be re-used.

Just a bit of info about wool and natural fabrics

Most disaster blankets which the OP writes about are made from recycled clothing and fabric, its shredded, and then pressed into whatever form needed. The slight wool feel to it is caused by the amount of wool fabrics used, which creates a binding effect.

A much safer bet, and a better buy is simple wool fabric. If you can find them at garage sales cheaply are the 100% wool army blankets, the old ones from WWII, if not those, keep your eyes our for large pieces of wool fabric.
Wool comes in many weights, refinements, and thicknesses. ANY wool fabric is better than a manufactured from scrap or man made material blanket and here is why- Wool blankets and fabric are just that, fabric that is spun from wool fibers. If left in its original state its warm, and waterproof. When processed it takes on other properties, it thickens and shrinks some as the fibers pull together, which makes it warmer and even more waterproof. If it shrinks too much it can be stretched out to its original form while wet, and left to dry in that shape.
Two layers of thin wool fabric over a flannel shirt and pants in the winter time will make you warm enough to sweat because it repels all air. It will also wick moisture to the outside and away from your skin, while warming you.

I make time period accurate costumes, and on occasion wear them- I can tell you from experience, I have worn a full length long sleeve linen undergown beneath a full length wool gown on a 100 degree day and been comfortable in the sun or shade, and worn the same clothing on a 9 degree day in the winter and been comfortably warm and not needed a coat.

Natural fibers are also easier to clean, and soften and mold to your body with wearing. A wool coat that might not fit just right the first couple of times you wear it will fit better the longer you have it on. Cotton and linen wash clean with water, wool doesn't even have to be washed, it can be sprinkled lightly with water and hung to dry, or if you have it handy sprayed lightly with grain alcohol and hung to air dry which produces the same effect as a professional dry cleaning.

Just some bits of fabric trivia

reply to post by LadySkadi


If this thread stuck strictly to the topic of my initial post it would be a short thread. I have no problem with it expanding to include other blankets you don't like and blankets you love or even things to do with cheap blankets. In other words, keep the thread blanket related and we are all good. :-)