31 March, 2021 – The Broader View article on Aussie Wool Comfort
Aussie wool in the comfort zone
Australian owned and based in country Victoria since 1989, Woolmark licensee Aussie Wool Comfort manufactures and retails pure wool bedding products made from quality Australian cross bred wool.
Founded with humble beginnings in the 1980s at Warragul in Victoria, Aussie Wool Comfort has grown into a company now producing a range of pure wool quilts, under blankets, pillows and other bedding products that are in demand across the world.
The company is proud to still be Australian owned and based at its regional workshop at Warragul, a small country town an hour east of Melbourne. Its range of products are hand crafted locally by seamstresses that sew every stitch, giving the company full control of every item produced.
Aussie Wool Comfort is also a proud Woolmark licensee meaning their products have been independently tested for quality and carry the internationally recognised Woolmark logo.
“Producing handmade in our own workshop enables us to deliver the highest quality,” said owner Catriona Ronalds. “A lot of our team members have been with us for many years and some through multiple generations. Their genuine skill and eye for detail is something we highly value in our business and we love that each piece has been produced under their careful eye.”
Catriona bought the business five years ago but was already very familiar with the benefits and attributes of wool due to her having been raised on a wool-growing property in the Western District of Victoria.
“Growing up in a family of generational sheep farmers, I have an intimate knowledge of Australia’s wool quality, and have always had a keen interest in all things wool,” she said.
“I moved to Warragul after I got married. It was there that my husband Andrew and I heard that the Aussie Wool Comfort business was for sale. We immediately and enthusiastically talked to the owners and were excited about the opportunity to put our personal touch on such a wonderful Australian product. My dad is particularly proud of me for getting back to my grass roots!
“Everyone who is involved in the business is very passionate about the product – and you see this all the way through the entire supply chain, from the farmers and truck drivers through to the customers.”
Aussie Wool Comfort sources its wool mainly from first cross Border Leicester/Merino flocks located in Catriona’s native Western District.
“These specially selected flocks yield the best high-grade wool for quilts. Our quilts only use wool from the premium part of the sheep, the top part.
“Our wool keeps its natural loft and stays comfortable for years. We have a unique and chemical-free Loft-Advantage™ process that helps trap air in the wool, further enhancing the natural insulating qualities of the fibre. It provides an even, soft, fluffy quilt that lasts. The quilts are line-stitched, meaning the wool will not ball, move or get lumpy.
“Not only do we guarantee our quilts and under blankets for six years, we promise you’ll feel the difference. Using the best wool, means you get the best sleep.”
The company’s products are free of chemicals and resin, which Catriona says make them perfect for allergy-sufferers.
“Because we use premium wool of the highest quality, there is no need to add chemicals or nasty resins, so it is a 100% pure and healthy allergen-free quilt. We even wash the wool organically before carding and the quilts are encased in a luxurious 100% cotton sateen. Being free of resins and chemicals was the very reason the company began to make quilts in the first place, to get away from allergy-causing products.”
As all Aussie Wool Comfort’s products are handmade, the company can also make bespoke sizes and products.
“We often have customers wanting specially made products for caravans and boats or just unusually sized beds. We have even made sleeping bags and under blankets for swags.”
Aussie Wool Comfort products sell direct to the consumer, mainly via its website. “We cut out the middle man, which means our customers get a premium quality product without paying a premium price,” Catriona added.
