Wool is the most popular fabric for finer men’s suits and women’s business clothing. Structured women’s suits have made a comeback, costing upward of $700 at stores. And, loose-knit sweaters in mohair and cashmere remain popular. In fact, the U.S. sheep industry produced 46 million pounds of wool in just one year. That’s a lot of suits and sweaters!
Woolen garments are a great investment. Since wool fibers resist pilling, snagging and breaking, they typically outlast synthetics. Furthermore, since wool fibers are naturally elastic, woolen garments don’t wrinkle, bag or sag out of shape.
The natural qualities of wool can be maintained for years with a few simple steps:
- Give wool clothing a 24-hour rest before you wear it again.
- Hang woven wool garments on shaped or padded hangers.
- Brush wool clothing to remove soil.
- Dry-clean your woolens before storing them away.
But the same chemistry that makes wool great to wear because it’s resilient, durable and wrinkle-free also makes it susceptible to moths. These insects, if allowed to infest wool, feed in the larvae stage on the keratin protein present only in animal fibers. While some consumers use mothballs to protect their woolens, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says hospitals have reported many cases of hemolytic anemia in children, who either ate naphthalene mothballs or deodorant cakes or who were in close contact with clothing or blankets stored in naphthalene mothballs.
Cedar: A Natural Alternative to Mothballs
Aromatic Eastern Redcedar is a natural pest repellent and alternative to mothballs. It also looks great in your closet, works well with closet organizing systems and provides that wonderful cedar scent.
CedarSafe closet liners are made from Aromatic Eastern Redcedar. These wood panels or planks repel and resist moths, roaches, silverfish and mildew. The cost is $150–$360 to turn an ordinary closet into a cedar closet, and the cedar planks or panels can be installed in only a few hours.
CedarSafe Natural Closet Liner is the No. 1 cedar closet liner brand in America, and is a favorite of remodelers and interior decorators. It is manufactured by Huntsville-based Giles & Kendall. Giles & Kendall, and its predecessor George C. Brown Cedar Company, have specialized in manufacturing 100 percent Aromatic Eastern Redcedar products for more than 120 years. CedarSafe Natural Closet Liner repels and resists moths, roaches and silverfish, as well as mildew. CedarSafe Natural Closet Liner planks and panels are available in the paneling or closet departments of Ace Hardware, Do It Best, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Menards, True Value, as well as in lumberyards throughout the United States and Canada. Manufacturing facilities are located in Huntsville, AL, and Gainesville, MO.
