Today we heard a beautiful story about how the wool dryer balls from That Red House are made and we wanted to share.

In our store, we have a few different focuses. Some products are here for their health benefits, others for being eco friendly and ethical sourcing is also a very big part of what we do. I have a soft spot for assisting people who live in third world conditions which is why our two largest charity benefactors are The School of St Jude in Tanzania and Kiva, where we loan money to small business people so they don't need to fear being  knee-capped if they can't pay it back on time.

Today I had a lovely chat with Natalia from That Red House and heard the story behind the Wool Dryer Balls. The main product sold by That Red House is, of course, their soap berries. It's great to have certified organic laundry choices in our natural cleaning products range, and the soapberries are certified organic. They are hand collected in the Himalayas in Nepal. The same company also make the wool dryer balls, and they're doing it with Australian wool.

The balls are made under fair trade conditions, which is a big tick for us in the ethical arena. The company are supporting our Aussie Farmers, and as well as making the balls for That Red House, they are making loads more with our Aussie Wool and shipping them all over the world. By purchasing these wool dryer balls, you are helping to provide a job for a worker in Nepal who has fair working conditions.

How do wool dryer balls work?

You simply place 3 in your clothes dryer with your wet clothes. As the tumble dryer spins, they speed up the drying process (up to 50% depending on what you're drying) by tossing the clothes around in the dryer more, absorbing some of the moistures and spreading heat around. They also reduce static electricity and can reduce ironing time  with some clothing. They are particularly useful when drying towels and sheets. While many people's first choice is always to hang clothes out on the line, sometimes endless stretches of rain can create a backlog of dirty clothes. If you would like your clothes or sheets scented, grab your favourite organic essential oils and pop a few drops on the balls and the scent will waft through your clothing. That Red House will be releasing a range of laundry specific essential oil blends. In the interim, we have plenty of choices in store, including a couple of blends I love from doTERRA. Their Citrus Bliss is a lovely choice for laundry and Balance is a calming, grounding woody blend with soothing chamomile added.