Glossary of Merino Wool Terms

 

What does micron mean for wool?

Micron is a unit used to measure fiber thickness. The smaller the value, the finer and softer the fiber (1 micron = 1 millionth of a meter). In short, not all wool is created equal. The softness of wool fibers depends crucially on their thickness.

While normal virgin wool is usually over 30 microns and perceived as scratchy by most people, ultra-fine merino wool is available from about 14-16 microns.

For comparison: a human hair is approximately 50 microns.

 

 

You will always find information about microns (if specified by the manufacturer) with the article in the material description. The finer the wool, the more expensive the raw material. Here is an overview:

 

• 14-17 microns = ultra-fine luxury wool quality (essentially the prime cut of the world's best merino wool qualities). This wool quality is outstandingly soft and can be worn without problems even by the most sensitive skin types. Due to the limited global availability of this wool quality and its high price, there are only a few products with this fineness:

 (Icebreaker 300 Fine…)

• 18-20 microns = very high-quality and fine merino quality (most of the items listed by us fall into this fiber thickness range). Scientific studies suggest that scratching is no longer perceptible below 20 microns. If skin irritations still occur, an allergic reaction to animal hair may be the cause. Alternatively, very sensitive skin types can opt for merino blend fabrics.

• 21-22 microns = standard merino quality ➽ this wool fineness corresponds to the average global merino wool quality and is, from experience, perceived as comfortable and non-scratchy by more than 90% of all skin types.

 

What do the numbers on merino underwear mean?

 

 

Most items in our shop have a number between 120 and 800 in the item description. But what does Merino 150, Merino 200 or Merino 260 actually mean?

It's simple ➽ This refers to the fabric weight in grams per m². Simply put, the lower the number, the thinner the fabric, and the higher the number, the thicker the fabric.

But be careful, there are exceptions, for example with a terry inner side or differently dense fabric structures. For example, a Woolpower 200 Longsleeve is almost twice as warm and thick as a normal Merino 200 Longsleeve, because the looped terry inner side creates many more warming air pockets despite the low fabric weight and is also significantly more voluminous.

 

 

Apart from these special knitting techniques, most merino fabrics can be classified into the following temperature ranges:

 

• 120-170 g/m² ➽ these thin fabrics are mainly used for merino shirts and are best suited for summer or transitional seasons. This fabric thickness can also be used for long underwear for performance-oriented winter sports.
• 180-240 g/m² ➽ these medium-thick merino fabrics are valued as all-rounders and represent the largest group of merino underwear items. Spring, autumn, and moderate winter temperatures can be universally covered with them.
• 250-400 g/m² ➽ these fabric thicknesses are suitable for sub-zero temperatures up to extreme conditions. If you are very sensitive to cold or want to spend a long time outdoors in sub-zero temperatures, this is the perfect choice. In addition, we carry special products for expedition needs (e.g., the Norwegian specialist "Aclima").
• Fabrics over 400 g/m² are too thick for underwear and are therefore only found in the merino fleece category, which is used as an extremely warm mid-layer. In addition, the Swedish manufacturer Woolpower offers thermal merino socks up to an 800-strength.

 

What does Mulesing mean?

Mulesing refers to a cruel practice in sheep farming where, sometimes without anesthesia, the tails of the animals or the skin folds in that area are removed to prevent parasitic infestation. Of course, at Merino Store, we only sell certified mulesing-free products.

 

A detailed explanation of this topic can be found in our glossary entry "Mulesing, no thanks!".

 

What is the difference between merino wool and virgin wool?

Virgin wool is a general term for all types of wool that come from sheep. Merino wool is the wool of a specific breed of sheep, the Merino sheep. It is considered the finest and, above all, softest sheep's wool in the world, and due to its skin-friendliness, it is therefore predestined for use in functional underwear.

Even though merino wool is technically also a type of virgin wool, virgin wool generally refers to the classic wool from ordinary sheep breeds. Many people find normal virgin wool to be rather scratchy, while merino wool, on the other hand, is perceived as very pleasant on the skin by most people. This is due to the significantly thinner fiber thickness of merino wool. Further information on the fiber thickness of wool and how it is measured can be found in the glossary entry above "What does micron mean for merino wool?".

 

At this point, we would like to point out, for good reason, that according to the European textile labeling regulation, only the generic terms wool or virgin wool are permissible on textile labels, even if it is the finer type of wool, merino wool.

Merino articles produced in the EU will therefore only show the permitted generic terms on the label. However, the addition (Merino) in parentheses is usually found. If this additional note is missing on the label, we refer to the material specifications on the manufacturer's websites.

Of course, such articles also contain real merino wool if this is stated in the material description in our shop.

 

What is the capillary effect?

 

 

In fabric construction, there are various methods to increase the inner surface, e.g.:

• Loop knitting technique (terry)
• Waffle structure
• Rib structure
• Brushed inside

The larger the inner surface becomes, the stronger the wicking effect outwards.

This primarily serves to wick away sweat more quickly.

At the same time, such internal structures create additional insulating air pockets, resulting in a balanced ratio between evaporative cooling and heat storage (textile temperature regulation).

These fabric technologies are therefore particularly useful for functional clothing in cold weather, as it is especially important in winter sports that sweat is wicked away from the body while still preventing chilling.

With synthetic fibers, however, the hollow fibers create an even stronger capillary effect, similar to a straw. The problem here is that although this further accelerates evaporation, during rest phases after exercise or in windy conditions, strong evaporative cooling also occurs, and the body can cool down rapidly (e.g., like after swimming in an outdoor pool). Synthetic fibers can only work in one direction; wool can also keep you warm when wet.

 

What is Lanolin?

Lanolin is the wool grease of sheep. It is present in large quantities in freshly shorn raw wool and is therefore largely filtered out during the washing process of raw wool and further processed into cosmetic products or as a refatting additive for wool detergents.

The raw wool is only washed enough so that a certain amount of lanolin remains in the fibers. Lanolin prevents the wool from drying out and cracking. That is why it is particularly important to use a high-quality wool detergent for washing merino clothing.

In addition, lanolin is also functionally important because it enhances the ability of wool fibers to absorb large amounts of moisture.

Wool grease is also known for its positive effect on the skin and is therefore often found in baby creams and wound ointments.

 

 

➽ Fiber Science

 

Do you want to learn more about the fibers that are processed together with merino wool? Then check out our glossary entry "Merino in the mix".

 

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