Moss Creek Dryer Balls

April 20, 2023

At Coriander, we are constantly on the search for cool, fun products that are eco-friendly and offer you something fundamentally useful for your lifestyle. A prime example of this planet-friendly mandate is our very popular Moss Creek Dryer Balls.

What are dryer balls and why do I need them you may ask? Aside from being soft and fuzzy, these woolly balls offer some fantastic benefits come laundry time. Plus, they make great dog or cat or orangutan toys (Moss Creek makes them for The Toronto Zoo), and you can indoor bowl or even learn to juggle with them!

Everyday product 

This phenomenal Canadian product has been a best-seller at Coriander for many years now. But what are dryer balls and how do they help your household?  

Moss Creek Dryer Balls have been improving laundry’s impact on the planet by lessening dryer time and removing the fabric softener step. In their own words, “We're on a mission to encourage eco-friendly drying and eliminate toxic dryer sheets.” Yay!

Made from 100% solid sustainable wool, the balls lift and separate clothes, increasing airflow and thus reducing drying time. They reduce static by absorbing water to create a more humid drying environment. This saves you money on both your electricity bill and your laundry supplies bill. Nice. 

Never dyed, the wool colours are a result of different breeds of source sheep, so there is no chance of colour transfer to your clothes while they are drying. Choose from cream, grey, or brown wools…or opt for a mix of the three.

Moss Creek Wool Dryer balls will last you 1000+ loads. But there is a very good chance that they will go missing before they have a chance to wear out: abduction by pets, hide ‘n seek in a sleeve or pant leg,  or attempted hibernation in your duvet cover corner are the most common solutions to this groovy mystery. 

Wool dryer balls are sold in sets of 3 because they need to work together in the dryer to lift your clothes effectively. Large dryers and heavier loads require 6 or more to create better airflow throughout the dryer’s contents.

A quality ball

Both local (Waterloo County) and international wool sources are tapped as most sheep in Canada are raised for meat and therefore do not have the desirable fine merino wool fibres necessary to manufacture a soft end product. Moss Creek states clearly that they do not use the wool of meat market animals. 

The finer the wools, the softer and tighter the wool balls. Moss Creek uses wool that has at most a 25 micron (thickness) rating: the lower the micron rating, the tighter the fibres bind together during felting. This super snug togetherness prevents the wool balls from falling apart after repeated rounds of abuse in your dryer.

The wool’s lanolin is removed during its milling and felting. First, the fresh fleece is subjected to a scouring process to remove dirt and oils. Next comes the hot water wash with a natural detergent (Forever New Fabric Wash) which removes any traces of lanolin. 

Personalize your balls 

Moss Creek Dryer Balls allow you to customize your laundry scent.

“In addition to faster drying, wool balls are a natural alternative to toxic dryer sheets and fabric softener for those who like to add scent to their laundry.

Simply add a few drops of your favourite essential oil or perfume on the dryer balls. If you are worried about the oil staining your clothes, rub the wool balls together to absorb the oils before tossing in the dryer.

The scent evaporates over 2-3 loads (depending on the temperature), leaving lightly scented fresh laundry.”

Kind to the planet; kind to the animals

Produced by Moss Creek Wool Works, the balls are the direct result of a desire for a more sustainable life and handmade products. It all began at Farmers Markets and Craft shows and the original “production team" was a group of stay-at-home parents who felted while their kids were at school.

Regardless of the source flocks, Moss Creek has ethical standards around the treatment of the sheep: only gentle shearing is allowed to prevent mulesing (removal of bits of the sheep hide), the animals are given adequate free-range time outside, no harmful chemicals are used during the wool roving process, and the sheep are never exposed to chemicals, including sheep dips. 

Moss Creek shares: “We find the best way to ensure the humane treatment of the sheep is to ask questions. By educating ourselves we can ensure the wool that we use comes from farms practices that we support while also showing the livestock industry that there is demand for sustainable and ethically raised wool.”

Caring for your balls

When your dryer balls get pilled, pick up threads, or look worn and scuffed, they are working correctly. Coarser fabrics in the dryer will cause this to happen sooner…but all is well.  Simply trim loose threads and pills to keep them looking fuzzy and new.

You can wash dirty balls in the machine and reshape them by hand while still damp. Hot water washing can cause them to felt even tighter, making them more resistant to pilling.

When it is time to say goodbye, you can bury these biodegradable balls in a garden or a flower pot. Decomposing wool adds nutrients to the soil and helps retain soil moisture. Or hang them in a tree for the birds to collect the wool for nest construction.

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