Here at Ellie & Anders, we love our merino wool clothing, and there are plenty of reasons why. Many people ask us what is merino wool, what are the disadvantages of merino wool, is merino wool worth the price, and so on. Don’t worry, we’re going to get to all of that. Merino wool is what the majority of our capsule wardrobe is made out of. Because we loved wearing merino wool as adults, it just made sense to let our kids in on the world’s best kept secret. If you’re ready to jump on the wool clothing bandwagon but you have a few doubts, rest assured that we’ll address them here at the ultimate guide to merino wool clothing.
What is Merino wool?
When you hear wool, you probably start itching all over. You think of that itchy shirt that grandma made you and can’t even fathom putting that on your children. We’ve all been there, but merino wool is the total opposite of the itchy, scratchy, cat-embroidered sweater of your youth.
Merino wool is a material that comes from sheep, but not your average lamb. Merino wool is made from Merino Sheep, and they’re about the softest animal around. Once the wool from this animal is spun into yarn, you’re left with a soft, shiny, durable, and breathable material that is perfect for you, your partner, your kids, and hey, even your dog.
What is special about Merino wool?
Merino wool is often touted as the best wool around, and there are a few different reasons why. While all wool is fairly durable, merino wool is one step above because of the properties of the wool once it’s spun into yarn. These include:
- It’s fine
- It’s soft
- It doesn’t itch
- The natural fibers are strong
- It stretches
- The wool is breathable
- It resists odors
- It’s naturally moisture-wicking
- It’s naturally temperature-regulating
- Is Merino wool better than regular wool?
Merino wool is, by far, better than regular wool. Regular wool has thick fibers, which may keep you warm, but it’s also extremely itchy. Because regular wool’s fibers are thick and coarse, the material isn’t breathable, and it doesn’t stretch like merino wool. Merino wool is lightweight, and while it’s comfortable to wear, it’s also warm. The material makes for a great base layer because it can keep you warm in the cold or rainy weather, but it’s also breathable and works great in the heat. Regular wool simply cannot compare when it comes to properties of merino.
Is Merino wool scratchy?
Perhaps one of the most common questions we get is whether merino wool is scratchy. Because we’ve all been scarred by bad experiences with wool, we automatically assume that merino must be itchy, coarse, and scratchy, just like the wool we’ve used in the past. Thankfully, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
We’ll go into this a little bit more next, but because the texture of the wool is so fine, it’s not going to be scratchy up against your children’s skin. Merino feels wonderful to all who are wearing it. Unlike synthetic fabrics that are attached to cheap children’s clothes, merino’s natural fibers won’t irritate sensitive skin by making them get scratchy, hot, and sweaty.
What are the advantages of Merino wool?
We often get asked about the advantages and disadvantages of merino wool, and the good news is that there are far more advantages than disadvantages. We talked about it a bit above, but let’s go more in-depth so you know just how great merino really is
Fine-textured
The benefits to merino wool all rely on the texture of the sheep’s wool. Regular sheep have coarse wool. And while that coarseness can provide a ton of warmth, it also provides a very heavy weight. Merino, on the other hand, is fine-textured, which makes it incredibly lightweight. It keeps the warmth properties of standard wool but ditches the heaviness and scratchiness of regular wool.
Naturally kinked
One important thing about merino wool is that this technical fabric is naturally kinked. Because the sheep’s hair has a slight curl to it, the wool is stretchy and durable. It’s used to expanding, contracting, and dealing with rough sheep’s play (which your children will gladly replicate). It makes lightweight clothes that can stretch.
Odor resistant
Merino wool clothes are naturally odor resistant. This is because wool wicks away moisture, which also helps keep you cool. In the process of wicking away moisture (namely, sweat), the wool never builds up the smelly bacteria that synthetic fibers do. Without the bacteria causing and storing those odors, wool won’t stink.
Durable
Wool has to hold up to the daily life of being a sheep, and they can get pretty rough. Merino is just another example that shows that the earth gave us sustainable materials that are far better than anything we can come up with. Wool can bend over 20,000 times before the strands break. Synthetic fibers break after about 2,000. And thanks to the kink in merino wool, even if it’s bent and pulled out of shape, it comes right back to where it originally was before. Say goodbye to
saggy clothes!
Temperature regulating
Wool is known for keeping people warm. The fabric actually traps your body heat, which keeps you comfy. And while that may seem like it’d keep you too hot for summer, that’s not true. Merino wool wicks away moisture, so it pushes sweat out and keeps you cool as well. Despite the temperature outside, merino wool will keep you comfortable—not too hot and not too cold.
What are the disadvantages of Merino wool?
As with anything, there are disadvantages. Nothing is perfect! So, what are the disadvantages of merino wool? Thankfully, they fit in one small list. Here are some of the disadvantages to merino wool:
- Can take a few weeks to get used to the feel of it
- Costs more than synthetic fabrics
Even with these disadvantages, you can see that the pros far outweigh the cons!
Merino wool kids clothing At Ellie & Anders, we’re passionate about kids clothes, which is why we offer merino wool kids clothing. We want to create an easy, sustainable capsule wardrobe that will allow you and your family to travel light when you travel with kids. Whether you’re doing international travel with kids or looking for a standard capsule wardrobe, our wool clothing will fit the bill. Though the merino wool price tag is a bit higher than synthetic fabrics, we believe it’s the best way to showcase sustainability and practicality for our children. Since you’ll need to buy less clothes thanks to our capsule wardrobe’s ability to pair with basics easily, the higher price tag really balances out in the long run. Kids dress to play, and our capsule wardrobe allows them to enjoy life comfortably.
Conclusion: Merino wool clothing
Merino wool is a fabric made from a special breed of sheep. With its soft and fine texture, natural kink for durability and stretch, and ability to wick away moisture, it’s a great material to make sustainable clothing. Though it will keep a person warm, it’s lightweight and easy to pack. It’s because of these wonderful properties of merino wool that we’ve chosen to use it in our capsule wardrobes. With merino wool, your kids can do more with less.
