What is Merino Wool?
Merino wool is a natural fiber grown by Merino sheep. It’s thinner and softer than regular wool—making it easy to wear next to skin. And when you wear wool next to skin, a lot of benefits come with it.
The Advantages of Wool
What is Merino wool made of? Proteins composed of amino acids and natural compounds. Merino wool is a natural, renewable fiber—meaning one sheep can grow four to five pounds of wool per year.
What is Merino wool really good at? Helping keep your body at a stable temperature. When it’s cold outside, the natural crimps and bends in its fibers trap air, insulating you. When it’s warm outside, it transports sweat quickly away from the skin, helping to keep you cool and dry.
What is Merino wool better at than traditional wool? It’s super-fine and soft. A single Merino wool fiber is ⅓ the diameter of a human hair. It’s so fine, actually, that when it brushes up against skin, it bends out of the way. It can’t be prickly like other wool fibers because it can’t stand up to the weight of itself. So it’s soft. Really soft.
- It Helps Keep You Dry and Sweat-Free
This benefit of wool gets a bit technical—so bear with us. Merino wool transports sweat and moisture away from skin as a vapor. Merino fibers are inherently porous. They’re composed of little plates that moisture vapor can get in between—meaning you're not left feeling wet, cold, and clammy after a workout. Synthetic fabrics are not porous. They usually wick sweat when it’s already a liquid, and then your body has to heat it up to evaporate it—making you feel clammy in colder weather.
Merino wool is unique in that it absorbs odor caused by bacteria—trapping their smell and keeping them from building up. This means you can wear Merino wool odor-resistant clothing for longer without having to worry about smelling. Merino wool is great for traveling or longer treks when you may not have as much room to pack.
- It Helps Provide UPF Protection
Depending on how they’re spun and dyed, Merino fibers help block out harmful rays from the sun (UPF 20+).
Merino wool disappears after about 12 months in the ground.
