Choosing the right Merino wool clothing and thermal base layer

Not sure about choosing wool in case it shrinks in the wash, it pills or attracts mites?
Forget these prejudices! With just a little care, your woollen items will stay as good as new and you’ll be able to play sport in them for a long time to come.
To finally convince you, read our article about caring for Merino wool: washing, drying, storage and repair.

Compared to other types of wool, it is less prone to pilling. However, this doesn’t mean that it doesn't pill at all.
Whether or not woollen garments pill depends on several factors, such as the quality of the wool, the way it has been spun and woven, and the way the garment is used and looked after. Although merino wool is resistant to pilling, it can still happen if it is rubbed repeatedly or exposed to rough surfaces.

the Merino sheep is a breed of Spanish sheep, whose ancestors have been selected from generation to generation, for the thinnest wool possible. These sheep are bred for the fine nature of their wool, which makes it softer than traditional wool. After shearing, the wool is cleaned to remove impurities, carded, spun and then knitted or woven.

It’s no wonder our grandmothers recommend wearing "a woolly jumper " when it's cold!
The insulating property of the wool attaches to the fibre’s structure, particularly suited for manufacturing warm textiles.
Wool fibre is naturally curly and thin making it very hairy. Its surface is covered with scales and has irregularities.
It's this composition that makes wool a material that "inflates" and therefore traps insulating warm air easily.
Moreover, wool is a material that "is warm to the touch". For example, in a room at a constant temperature, you will notice that wool is warmer to touch than glass which has a much smoother surface.
Wool also has other thermal advantages when it is moist (rain, perspiration, etc.): absorption is exothermic which means that by absorbing water , it generates a small amount of heat!
All the same, be careful if you are wet in winter , as this heat release is temporary so remember to add an insulating layer or windbreaker over your wool garment to trap the heat.

As knitting enthusiasts well know: the weight stated on your wool product represents the total material weight of a fabric square metre.
This gives an indication of the way in which it has been woven and therefore of its thermal performance: the heavier the fabric, the warmer it will be!
The weight also helps trekkers to make the best choice if they want to reduce the weight of their backpack as much as possible.
There are two types of weight:
- Fine, from 100 to 190 g/m2: lightweight garment that provides moderate warmth, recommended for a warm and humid environment
- Thick, from 200 to 300 g/m2: more hard-wearing garment that provides greater warmth, recommended for a cold and dry environment
Depending on the season or time of day, you can also go for a short-sleeved or long-sleeved Merino wool t-shirt and vary how you layer them.

If wool traps heat naturally, isn’t there the chance of getting too hot by wearing it in sunny weather?
The answer is no! This is down to two great properties of wool: the way it absorbs moisture and the way it interacts with external conditions.
Firstly, let’s talk about its absorption capacity as wool is the champion of this!
Wool is an extremely hydrophilic fibre which means that it absorbs water easily and quickly. It is estimated that it can absorb between 20% and 35% of its own weight before feeling an uncomfortable damp effect. Perfect for those who want to stay warm and dry.
It still releases a little heat when damp, however the reverse effect takes place when it comes into contact with warm and dry air!
This is explained by an easily observable physical process: evaporation. In effect, the transition from liquid to gaseous state requires a certain amount of heat which escapes from the fabric into the air.
This process is well known by people that live in the desert, who use it to cool the water in their fabric flasks, and it's also how some of our modern air conditioners work.
In summary: wool that is soaked in water or sweat loses heat if you wear it in the open air on a dry, sunny day, thanks to the evaporation process.
And to make it even simpler: wool can both insulate you in winter and keep you cool in summer!
A small precaution all the same: even though wool is the best at absorption, its drying ability is still slower than other materials such as polyester for example.
Avoid soaking your woollen socks to cool down your feet! Also be aware that some brands offer garments made from wool polyester blend for a quicker drying time.

Do you have a bad memory of an "itchy wool" sweater? Give Merino wool a try!
First and foremost, you must understand why standard wool itches: it's a question of how fine the strands are and how hairy the wool is.
Remember that wool has an uneven surface that traps insulating warm air. The fibres can then cling onto the skin and create an uncomfortable tingling sensation.
Moreover, if the wool strand is thick, it loses flexibility and it touches the skin more during our different movements, increasing the gripping points and itchy feeling. But Merino wool is really fine, which gives it great flexibility. This means it comes into contact with the skin less often, which makes it feel softer.
However, it should be noted that for extreme softness, it's better to go for a fabric made from very smooth fibres that don't grip to the skin.

Many structural reasons can explain a fibre’s strength.
One of these is the length of the fibre: the longer the fibre, the less "fibre ends" there are in the fabric weave and therefore there is less risk of breakage at the seams joining two fibre strands.
Another reason is the elasticity of the fibre: if it is stretchy then it better withstands the various pressures placed on the weave.
You guessed it, wool fulfils these criteria hands down! Its fibre is naturally long (more than cotton for example) and it has a "curly" or "crimped" composition which gives it great stretch, as it can stretch out up to around 30% of its length without breaking.
In addition, the twisting and interweaving of fibres during the yarn creation phase also contributes to the strength of woollen garments.
Nevertheless, be aware that wool isn’t the most durable material. Some synthetic materials are more durable although they don’t have the same benefits as wool (warmth, odour control, stretch, etc.).
That’s why it’s not unknown to find wool garments reinforced with polyamide yarn that covers the wool for extra durability.

You can wear Merino wool as a first or second layer: it all depends whether the garment you choose is more breathable or insulating.

Contrary to popular belief, bacteria are not entirely responsible for unpleasant odours from perspiration (well, not entirely...).
Firstly, know that perspiration produced by the human body's sweat glands is odourless. However, this perspiration is made up of molecules where bacteria that are naturally present on the human body will thrive. These bacteria (which mostly respond to the sweet name of staphylococcus hominis) will break down the sweat molecules with the help of an enzyme. It’s this enzyme and the residue left by the bacteria once the sweat molecules have decomposed that create the bad odours!