Britain’s biggest single producer of organic lamb has begun selling its own woollen duvets and mattress toppers.

The Rhug Estate, Corwen, made the move after becoming frustrated by the poor prices it was getting for the wool from its 3,500 breeding ewes.

The 8,000-acre operation in Denbighshire already sells sheepskin rugs and is keen to add further value to its raw organic wool.

By diversifying into bedding, it has set itself up as a direct rival to the Harlech-based Baavet, launched in 2010.

“With a flock of 3,500 breeding ewes at Rhug, we produce a lot of wool,” said estate owner Lord Newborough.

“But the price we were getting for the fleece was ridiculously low for such a high quality product.

“We have to shear the sheep or they would suffer in the summer heat, so we decided we had to take matters into our own hands and make the best use of the organic fleece.”

Baavet owner Roger Payne lets young Merioneth Show visitor Neave Glastone see for herself how comfortable his products are
Baavet owner Roger Payne lets young Merioneth Show visitor Neave Glastone see for herself how comfortable his products are

Wool is often cited at the perfect material for duvets and mattress toppers as it has an inherent ability to regulate both temperature and moisture levels.

Advocates say this – allied to the natural antibacterial properties of wool – makes woollen duvets  the best year-round choice for a good night’s sleep.

Lord Newborough certainly thinks so. “The duvet is as healthy as you can get anywhere.

“No chemicals, no fire retardants, no man-made fibres. Just organic and sustainable – and they look smart on the bed too.”

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However they come with a hefty price tag. Currently, eight duvet products are listed on the Rhug website, all in organic cotton casings and ranging in price from £130 for a lightweight single duvet to £231 for a winter weight king size duvet.

Rather than tog ratings, wool duvets are sold by the gram weight of wool per square metre.

As they are warmer, gram for gram, than polyester or feather duvets, a lighter weight can be used.