Cotton (100%) vs Wool

Wool has a gentle, springy loft that sits between cotton's flat profile and polyester's puffiness. Cotton lies quite flat after washing and develops crinkle. Wool has enough loft to look substantial without being bulky, and it maintains that loft over time — it springs back rather than going flat after compression.

Wool is the clear warmth winner. Pound for pound, wool provides more warmth than any other batting material while remaining breathable. Cotton provides moderate warmth and breathes well, but cannot match wool's insulation. For cold-climate quilters, wool is the undisputed champion for bed quilts.

Cotton shrinks 3-5%, producing the beloved crinkled texture. Wool shrinks 1-3% — enough for a gentle texture without dramatic size change. The key difference is that wool can FELT if washed in hot water, which is a much worse outcome than cotton's predictable shrinkage. Follow wool washing instructions carefully.

Wool batting costs roughly 2-3 times more than cotton batting. A queen-size Hobbs Tuscany Wool runs $50-70 while a comparable cotton batting costs $20-35. For heirloom quilts, many quilters consider the wool premium worthwhile. For everyday quilts, cotton delivers excellent results at a fraction of the cost.