T-shirts, socks and other merino wool garments perfect for a helpful and long-lasting Christmas gift

Now that winter has arrived and temperatures are starting to drop, you may be looking for alternatives to the clothes we normally use to combat the cold. Cotton is a natural, breathable and resistant fabric, but it does not always help us retain heat. Wool, as well as some synthetic fabrics, may not be enough. But are there alternatives? One of them may surprise you: merino wool.

What is merino wool

Merino wool is obtained from Merino sheep, known for producing some of the finest and softest wool in the world. Unlike other types of wool, merino wool is characterized by the thinness of its fibers, which can be between two and five times thinner than a human hair. This makes it exceptionally soft to the touch, avoiding the itchy sensation typical of other types of wool. Additionally, it is lighter, stretchier, and more efficient at regulating body temperature, making it an ideal choice for garments that can work in both cold and warm climates.

Breathable garments

Due to the structure of its fibers, merino wool is more breathable than common wool and cotton. While cotton absorbs moisture and takes longer to dry, merino wool is able to wick sweat away from the skin, similar to the synthetic fibers used to make sportswear. This not only improves comfort, but also reduces the likelihood of skin irritations or infections. It also has another advantage, since this ability to remove moisture also makes merino wool regulate temperature.

Temperature regulation

Cotton is a fabric for summer, since it is not capable of retaining heat like wool or synthetic fabrics. But it is not always pleasant, since in a humid climate, if we sweat, a cotton t-shirt can stick to the body and become very hot. Unlike cotton, merino wool regulates body temperature, keeping the body warm in winter and cool in summer. In summer, thin fibers cause sweat to evaporate more quickly and that cools our skin. In winter, these same fibers trap air between the garment and our skin, and that layer of air acts as an insulator and keeps us warm. It is not surprising, since Merino sheep live in mountain areas.

It doesn’t smell

One of the most surprising advantages of merino wool is that the garments do not smell like sweat, even after wearing them several times. The smell of clothes is due to the decomposition of our sweat by the bacteria that live on the skin, and which pass into the fabric. Merino wool garments do not retain sweat, on the one hand, and, in addition, lanolin, a natural substance that covers wool, repels bacteria that produce bad odor. In practical terms, this allows a garment to be worn for several consecutive days without needing to be washed, an advantage when taking it on a trip. It is enough to air the garment to be able to wear it again.

Durability

The fibers of merino wool are finer, but at the same time they are more resistant than human hair. This means they can be bent and twisted thousands of times without breaking. In addition, the fibers are also longer, and therefore merino wool fabric is more resistant to wear and washing than others. If we add to this that they can be worn for more days without having to wash them as often, we find that merino garments will last longer than those made with cotton. A well-cared for garment can last for years without losing its shape or properties, since the fabric is naturally elastic, something that can rarely be said of synthetic fabrics or cotton.

Smoothness

Although merino wool fabric is soft, and does not itch like normal wool, the first time we put on a new garment we may find it stiffer, compared to cotton. Unlike other fibers, merino wool becomes softer with use and washing, which means that the more we wear them, the more comfortable they are.

Sustainability

Merino wool is a biodegradable and renewable material, as sheep produce new wool every year. Compared to synthetic fabrics derived from petroleum, merino wool has a significantly lower environmental impact, both in its production and in its degradation at the end of its useful life, since it disappears in a few months in the environment, unlike textiles synthetics that can last hundreds of years and release microplastics that pollute the waters of rivers, seas and oceans.

Is merino wool worth paying for?

One of the main drawbacks of garments made from merino wool is the price, which is higher than the synthetic or cotton equivalent. The quality of wool depends on the thickness of the fibers. The finer they are, the more expensive the fabric is. For example, cashmere wool, which does not come from sheep, like merino, but from goats, has even finer fibers, so the price is even higher.

While a cotton t-shirt can cost around 10 euros (depending on quality), the same merino wool garment costs around 40 euros. The same goes for socks, which cost more than twice as much as their poorer quality wool or cotton equivalents.

In return, due to its durability and versatility, a merino t-shirt or pair of socks can replace several lower quality garments, and last much longer. Furthermore, the comfort and performance offered by these garments are difficult to match. This helps us buy fewer, higher quality clothes and use them for longer, so these types of products can also become a good idea for those last minute gifts. Garments of this type only provide us with more satisfaction, but we will also be reducing the amount of textile waste, one of the main environmental problems today.