Wool has been used by human beings for thousands of years. Of the many generations who have worked with and worn wool, could any of them have guessed that this versatile fibre would one day end up in space? Thanks to a recent project by British home textiles company Woolroom, this could soon become an exciting reality.
NASA’s Woolroom Procurement
In Autumn 2025, Woolroom received a procurement request from NASA’s headquarters in Houston, TX. The American space agency wanted to test the company’s woollen mattress toppers to see if they could meet the safety requirements for a space mission.
“This is a proud moment for our team,” says Chris Tattersall, Managing Director of Woolroom. “At Woolroom we’ve always believed wool is the most advanced performance fibre nature has ever created. The fact that NASA is testing our toppers at Johnson Space Center reinforces that the natural qualities of wool, like safety, breathability, and resilience, stand up to even the most demanding environments.”
Wool fibres contain high levels of nitrogen and water, making them naturally flame resistant. Wool only ignites when exposed to temperatures around 1,058°F/570°C. Even when exposed to flame, wool tends to self-extinguish instead of catching or spreading fire, making wool bedding an ideal solution for astronauts exposed to higher levels of flammable elements like oxygen.
Woolroom’s natural wool bedding has been making sleep spaces cleaner and safer for over a century. The fact that it is now likely to take this tradition of natural comfort and health into space is a testament, not only to Woolroom’s high standards of traceable textile production, but to the natural qualities of wool itself.
“What makes wool remarkable is that it evolved to protect life in harsh conditions,” says Tattersall. “It’s naturally flame resistant, regulates temperature, and manages moisture without synthetic treatments. Those same qualities that protect sheep in extreme climates are exactly why wool performs so well in environments as demanding as space.”
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