Sustainable filling

We have long been looking for a natural material as a filling for various crocheted and knitted figures. A filling that must function optimally on all criteria:

• Hypoallergenic and antibacterial
• Fills well and holds its shape
• Must be washable
• 100% natural material

We have found that with sustainable kapok, and we are very happy that we can now also offer you this fantastic material.


SUSTAINABLE KAPOK
Kapok is a perfect filling material that consists of organic natural fibers that are both hypoallergenic and antibacterial. Kapok comes from the seed pods of the tall kapok trees, also called Ceiba pentranda. Kapok trees grow wild in the tropical rainforests of India, South and Central America and in the western part of Africa. The harvesting of kapok cannot be certified as organic, as it does not take place in a plantation but in the wild rainforest. Here it is allowed to grow naturally under the same conditions as the rest of the rainforest.

Kapok contains a natural bitter substance which means that kapok trees are not attacked by pests. Therefore, it is not necessary to use chemicals, pesticides or other sprays during the cultivation, harvesting or production of kapok. The bitter substance has the fantastic advantage that mold and house dust mites cannot live in the fibre, and this also makes the kapok filling a hypoallergenic and hygienic product.


A GOOD COOPERATION
We get the delicious loose kapok from the Danish company Cocoon, which specializes in producing 100% natural and allergy-friendly duvets and pillows, for which they use sustainable kapok. It is a collaboration that makes sense in so many ways:

• Cocoon can reduce their production waste to an absolute minimum.
• If there is a mistake in the production of pillows, for example, the loose kapok can be repackaged into small bags, which we handicraft enthusiasts can use for small projects such as teddy bears etc.
• When we use kapok filling, we help to support the conservation of the tropical rainforests where the kapok trees grow.

The quality of the fiber used by the Cocoon Company is also top notch.
We are very pleased to have found a sustainable alternative to cotton wool, which nature can provide under completely natural and responsible conditions.

WASH OF KAPOK
Due to its antibacterial properties, it is not necessary to wash Kapok as often as other products. In general, we recommend that you try to avoid machine washing and wash by hand instead. If there is a little dirt on the surface, try to see if a cloth can do the job before you put it in the washing machine.

How to wash in the machine

• Select a short wash program.
• We recommend washing at 40 degrees (max 60 degrees).
• Select 1200 revolutions to eject the water well.
• Use a gentle detergent without enzymes and bleach.
• Avoid fabric softener.
• Avoid soaking kapok as the fibers can be damaged.

How to dry

• Dry immediately in the dryer
• Dry several times on medium heat. Dry approx. 20 minutes Then take the product out of the dryer for 20 minutes and then start over until the product is completely dry.

FILL IN WITH KAPOK
Kapokfibie contains 80% air and is 8 times lighter than cotton. It is therefore a light material, and you can therefore be happy that fewer grams of kapok are used than normal teddy bear filling for a figure - approx. half and up to two-thirds of the amount of ordinary cotton wool specified in a recipe.

If 60 g of wadding is used, you can basically assume that you will need 30-40 g of kapok. It obviously depends on which shape it is, and how firm or soft you want your finished product to be.

BUY KAPOK AT KREA DELUXE
We have Kapok in bags of 40 grams. The bags are made of 100% organic cotton and can be reused for e.g. storing your small projects or perhaps as a gift bag for a crocheted or knitted teddy bear.

Find and buy kapok right away HERE


Tips for filling out:
To get a uniform filling without bulges, you can follow our simple "balloon tip"

• Start by filling out the sides of the figure so that almost a padding is made on the inside of the figure.
• Then only fill up in the middle - in this way the figure will be filled up from the middle outwards - a bit like blowing up air in a balloon.
• Use plenty of filling. It is the filling that holds the shape of the molds in place.
• Fill in, for example. teddy bears are compressed in use, and a little extra stuffing is therefore needed to prevent the teddy bears from becoming too "flabby".