Wool and Knit Throws: How Warm They Are and How to Wash Them

Wool and knit throws trade some of the loft of sherpa and faux fur for breathability and texture. Wool stays comfortable for hours because it absorbs moisture before it feels wet. Cotton knits are the easy-care option. The catch is washing: most wool throws need dry cleaning or a true hand wash, because machine agitation can shrink them.

This page is part of our best throw blankets guide, which compares every throw fabric.

How warm is a wool throw?

Wool is warm in a different way from plush synthetics. The Woolmark Company says wool can absorb up to 35 percent of its weight before it feels wet and clings to the skin, and that wool fabrics can move 25 percent more moisture away from the skin than polyester fabrics.

That makes a wool throw comfortable over a long evening or as an extra layer on a bed, where a polyester fleece can start to feel clammy. Fleece still wins on warmth for weight when dry; our sherpa vs fleece vs faux fur comparison covers the plush side.

How to wash a wool throw

Wool is the fussier choice. Faribault Mill, a Minnesota wool mill, recommends dry cleaning, or hand washing in cold water with a mild cleaning agent made for wool.

It warns that hand wash “does not mean the Gentle or Hand Wash cycle in a washing machine,” because agitation can make the fibers interlock. That is what shrinks a wool throw and changes its texture. Faribault also says to line dry, rotating the throw to prevent stretching, and to skip fabric softener, which can increase pilling.

Pendleton wool blankets

Pendleton Woolen Mills is an American wool maker known for its blankets. Its timeline starts with Thomas Kay, an English master weaver who arrived in 1863. The Pendleton, Oregon mill opened in 1909 and started weaving trade blankets that year, and a second mill in Washougal, Washington followed in 1912. Pendleton says all its blankets are woven at those two mills.

Pendleton’s blanket range includes:

• Trade blankets. The traditional patterned designs it has woven since 1909.
• The National Park collection. It began in 1916 with the Glacier National Park blanket, and sales support the National Park Foundation.
• Yakima Camp blankets. Simpler camp-style designs.
• Eco-Wise Wool. A washable line for bedding.

Care is the catch. Pendleton says its traditional wool blankets should be dry cleaned only when needed, because wool releases dirt and odors on its own, while Eco-Wise Wool blankets can be machine washed and dried. For storage, it suggests airtight boxes or bags that seal completely, and shaking or brushing stored blankets every few months to deter moths.

Vintage Pendleton blankets are sold secondhand too, so check photos for moth holes and read the label before you buy.

Chunky knit and cotton knit throws

Knitted throws look best folded over a chair or the arm of a sofa. Cotton knits are usually easier to wash than wool.

Bearaby, for example, tells buyers of its knitted cotton throw to wash it cold on a gentle cycle and tumble dry it low. It warns that air drying can stretch the loops, the opposite of the advice for wool.

Chunky knits have big gaps between the loops, so they feel airy rather than plush. Layer one over a fleece blanket on a cold night, or use it as the decorative throw in a room where the plush one does the real work. Our guide on how to make a room feel cozy covers mixing textures.

Wool or knit: which to buy?

For a gift, a wool or chunky knit throw needs no size; our cozy gift ideas have more. For a heavier knit with a calming weight, see what weight of weighted blanket to get.