Why Luxurious Wool Never Goes Out of Style

Originally from Spain, the merino sheep was historically highly sought after and the first breed of sheep brought to Australia and New Zealand in large numbers, quickly becoming an economically influential part of the farming industry. Naturally enduring, marvellously soft, always stylish merino wool knitwear has become synonymous with timeless luxury, but what is about the natural fibres of merino wool that makes it somehow never go out of style?

Too cold or too hot? Not a problem for merino wool

Nature has created merino wool to be a type of temperature regulator. When you are hot the natural wool fibres absorb the moisture and then release them into the atmosphere, kind of like helping you sweat more efficiently. And when you are cold merino wool traps heated air to create an insulated layer around you, keeping you comfortably warm and dry.

Nothing to smell here

Merino wool fibres are naturally odour resistant which means your jumper will not smell like sweat, unlike cotton or synthetic fibres. And the best part is you will not need to wash knitwear once you have worn it, simply hang in the open air and your jumper will be ready to keep you smelling fresh again the next day.

Dry as a bone

Merino wool is a very fine fibre, which means it can release water vapour quickly and easily if it becomes wet. After washing your wool jumper will be dry long before other items of clothing, there is a reason merino wool is used in thermal and outdoor clothing for extreme weather conditions.

Wrinkle-be-gone

The naturally elastic properties of merino wool make garments just about wrinkle-free, the ideal travel companion if you want to look and feel good with the minimal amount of packing and unpacking fuss. Just hang your woolly jumper up for a half an hour and you are good to go without travel lines.

Scratch that itch?

There is no need with merino wool knitwear. These fibres are an incredible 17 microns thick – or thin – and with human hair between 60 and 80 microns you can understand where the ‘incredible’ comes in. Merino wool’s fineness makes it more flexible and not in the slightest bit itchy.

Tough as nails

More and more uses for merino wool are being discovered all the time, from making tennis balls for Wimbledon to being used in Kevlar vests to make them more bullet-proof. These hardy little fibres can bend over on themselves 20 000 times, they are comparatively stronger than steel. Merino wool garments need no preserving or treating to make them more durable, they were simply born that way.

Feeling vulnerable?

Merino wool is one of the most hypoallergenic fibres you can wear on your skin and has been shown to reduce the symptoms of eczema in adults, babies and children. It is naturally antibacterial and contains lanolins which is a wax produced by the sheep’s glands to protect the skin and wool from the rain. Lanolin is known to reduce allergic skin reactions and is therefore good for sensitive or young skin.  

No animals were harmed in the making of this product

Merino wool is fully biodegradable and harvested from healthy much-loved free-ranging sheep twice a year, and is made of grass, water and fresh air and one of the most eco-friendly items of clothing you can wear.  

So what makes merino wool a better investment than regular wool?

1. It’s fineness. Merino wool is made of very fine fibres and twice as much wool is needed to make an item of clothing of the equivalent weight than using conventional wool. The upside is the knitwear is very soft, very comfortable and very healthy to wear.
2. It’s length. Merino wool is naturally longer and stronger than other types of wool, making it less likely to break or hole.

Recently wool craftsmen and women have been combining the incredible properties of merino wool with the unique characteristics of possum fur to create garments that are not only very soft to touch and comfortable to wear but are timeless in their appeal. We have found a few merino wool blend knitwear items that are just stunning, the ultimate in luxury, wearability and style.

The warm and comfortable possum merino button-up cardigan for women available from Ecowool store in New Zealand offers the bonus of free shipping. This soft-fitting jumper is crafted in a subtle purl knit from 40% merino wool, 50% possum fibre and 10% silk to be a wardrobe essential.

We found a few examples of the tan possum merino lambskin collared jacket for men, all made from durable premium quality natural fibres in a 55% merino wool, 35% possum and 10% mulberry silk thicker knit. This jacket looks extra thick and warm and is non-crease and non-pill.

Also from the Ecowool store we found a gorgeous organic merino wool bodysuit for baby, an essential base layer to keep babies and toddlers snug and warm.  Crafted with an easily accessible dome this 100% organic New Zealand superfine merino bodysuit will not ride up and expose little tummies or backs and has been cleverly made with the option to fold down to mittens to stop scratching or keep little hands warm.

For centuries merino wool has been the go-to for making top-of-the-range knitwear that is durable, stylish and kind to your skin. The old adage of ‘if it isn’t broken don’t fix it’ applies in every way to this natural fibre, making garments that are well worth the investment.

Author’s Bio

My name is Alison Hefer, I am originally from Cape Town, South Africa but I have spent the last few years in beautiful New Zealand. I write articles for various websites including Ecowool.co.nz and regularly contribute articles about the always changing world of SEO to Clickthrough.co.nz. I am a busy blogger/mom by day and avid writer by night.   My career goal is to one day write a novel of my own.