Merino wool

What is merino wool?

Merino wool is a natural animal material. It's a certain kind of wool from merino sheep. Its main characteristics are comfort, elasticity and resistance. It's even three times finer than so-called traditional wool, making it soft and silky, so it doesn't itch. It's also renowned for its thermoregulatory, insulating and odor-neutralizing properties, making it ideal for sportsmen and women, especially mountaineers, who have to cope with extreme temperatures.

Which countries produce Merino wool?

Several countries produce Merino wool. Originally Merino sheep lived in Asia Minor, then were exported to Spain.
Today, we can't talk about Merino wool without mentioning Australia, and more particularly the Tasmanian region, which alone produces 80% of the world's wool. Next come New Zealand and then South Africa, which also produce to a lesser extent compared to the land of the kangaroos.
Nevertheless, it's possible to find farms just about anywhere in the world, even in France.

What are the processing stages for Merino wool?

Merino wool follows the same transformation process as conventional wool. It must therefore go through various stages before it can finally be transformed into wool yarns.
It begins with the shearing of Merino sheep, carried out once or twice a year by hand using a shearing machine. A single sheep of this species can provide up to 9,000 km of fiber, or between 4 and 9 kg of wool per year!

The wool is then sorted and washed to remove any organic matter or other impurities the sheep may have accumulated, such as dirt, grease, hay, etc., from the wool.
Once dry, the wool fibers are carded, i.e. each fiber is opened and individualized. They are then transformed into roving for spinning. The fibers can optionally be combed to remove any remaining impurities and short fibers. The resulting rovings are drawn and refined in preparation for winding.
Next comes the spinning process, which consists in transforming the fibers into yarn by successive drawing.
They can also be dyed and knitted, depending on the desired result.

Does Merino wool have any other advantages?

Merino wool is a material with a multitude of advantages that are sure to please.
First of all, this type of wool has antibacterial properties, neutralizing odors. This is due to the wool's structure, which makes it difficult for bacteria to cling on. Thanks to the keratin present, odor-causing bacteria are destroyed.
What's more, thanks to this wool, there's less sweat on the skin because moisture is absorbed into the fiber. It can absorb up to 35% of its weight in moisture without appearing damp.

It's also thermoregulating: wool fibers are intelligent fibers that cool in summer and warm in winter. They trap heat thanks to air pockets in their structures, and offer a cooling effect thanks to the evaporation of moisture. In fact, when the ambient air is warm, moisture dries more quickly, resulting in evaporation and a cooling effect.
This wool is also very soft. Gone are the itchy wool sweaters of our grandmothers! The fibers are so fine (16.5 to 19.5 microns) that they bend on contact with the skin, so they're not perceived as unpleasant at all.

Last but not least, merino wool offers UV protection, as it absorbs part of UV rays and prevents them from reaching our skin.
All this makes this material a perfect ally for winter but also summer after all!

Is Merino wool compatible with ethical and responsible fashion?

Merino wool represents a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers. It's a natural fiber that requires only water, fresh air, sunshine and quality grass for the sheep to flourish, and therefore the wool too.

However, this material should be avoided at all costs if it is not guaranteed cruelty-free for sheep. In fact, many Merino sheep farms in Australia have a history of cruelty to sheep, with the so-called mulesing technique: a surgical procedure to remove the sheep's perianal skin to prevent myiasis, a skin disease of sheep.
The practice of mulesing is forbidden by organic labels and the RWS (Responsible Wool Standard) label.
So Merino wool is compatible with ethical and responsible fashion only if it is guaranteed cruelty-free.

How to care for Merino wool

To preserve the beauty of your merino wool garments and accessories it's very important to look after them well with the few tips below.
First of all, as explained above, Merino wool is naturally anti-bacterial, so it doesn't retain odors such as those from perspiration, for example. This property is very interesting, as it allows you to space out your washes, using less water and keeping your garment longer. If you wish, you can air the garment between washes, making it fresh again.

When it comes to cleaning, dry-cleaning is preferable, but the washing-machine option is perfectly feasible. There are a few conditions to be met, however.
Use the washing program at 30° maximum. It's also important to set the drum speed to 500 or 600 rpm to avoid breaking the fibers. The drum should be filled to 50% maximum, as wool needs space. Use special detergent and never use fabric softener, and don't mix merino garments with other materials. Be careful not to wash them with clothes or undergarments that have buttons, zippers, whalebones or bra hooks. This can cause holes. Wash inside out.

Hand washing is not at all advisable, as rubbing will break the fibers, which are very fragile.
In the event of a stain, don't use stain remover, but rather Marseille soap, which you rub gently in a bath to help the soap penetrate the wool. If you're dealing with a greasy stain, sprinkle flour or talcum powder directly on it before washing.
When it comes to drying, never tumble dry. You can hang your garments on a hanger or lay them flat, but don't use a clothespin, as this will distort the garment.
If you want to iron, use a steam iron as it won't damage the knit fabric, or use an iron on a low-temperature program on the inside of the garment.


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