Why Merino Underwear?

 

1. Merino vs. Synthetic Fiber

 

 

Merino Functional Underwear		Synthetic Fiber Functional Underwear
1. Functional wool underwear keeps you warmer when damp or wet than any other fabric – a quick drying time is therefore of minor importance, as the reliable heat retention significantly reduces the risk of catching a cold. It is not necessary to change underwear after heavy sweating.		1. While synthetic fiber underwear dries quickly, this super-fast drying process naturally creates constant evaporative cooling. This becomes a problem, especially in winter or during phases between or after exertion, increasing the risk of hypothermia. It literally sends shivers down your spine.
2. Immediately after activity, there is no chilling effect from excessive evaporation of residual moisture. Wool releases moisture slowly and evenly to the next layer. No excessive evaporative cooling occurs.		2. Next time you're on the mountain, pay attention to how many people prefer to put on a dry shirt at the summit when the wind is blowing and their synthetic fiber shirt won't stop evaporating the sweat from the climb. A clear misunderstanding of the issue!
3. Wool can temporarily store 1/3 of its own weight in moisture without feeling wet. Especially for socks and underwear, this can be a decisive advantage, as the skin remains dry for a long time and does not soften, which in turn prevents blistering in shoes or, based on experience, avoids chafing, e.g., in the crotch.		3. Take highly acclaimed functional socks made of synthetic fibers and combine them with waterproof hiking boots = The perfect recipe for blisters. Synthetic fibers can barely absorb moisture, which in the "closed cage" of a shoe quickly softens the skin. Same problem in the crotch – unfortunately well-known to many men.
4. Unlike synthetic fibers, Merino functional underwear does not constantly draw moisture from the body. This significantly reduces equipment weight, as less water needs to be carried. On the other hand, the risk of dehydration at high ambient temperatures and intense exertion decreases. The stomach is less burdened, as constant rehydration is not necessary to compensate for evaporation loss.		4. The body sweats to cool itself. If this sweat moisture is constantly evaporated outwards, sweat must be continuously produced to maintain the cooling effect. Especially in hot regions or during intense exertion, water consumption increases sharply. The backpack becomes heavier due to more water being carried. The risk of dehydration increases, and with increased fluid loss, performance also decreases.
5. Savings can also be made as merino underwear can be worn for several days in a row without washing, meaning one item can last up to a week – this saves both on equipment budget and backpack weight!		5. Everyone knows it, everyone hates it. After a strenuous mountain tour, you sit in the hut and wonder if it's your shirt emitting those terrible odors, or if it's the one from the next table?
6. Merino underwear does not smell, as the structure of the wool fiber is naturally antibacterial. Airing it out in the fresh air is enough to largely get rid of odors. Pleasant for the nose – your own and others'!		6. Whether after several hours with or half an hour without "antibacterial equipment," the fact is, after the tour in the evening and after extensive sweating, you still smell. So, wearing the synthetic fiber shirt for a second day? Unthinkable!
7. In terms of thermal performance relative to its own weight, merino wool is vastly superior to synthetic fibers. But not only that. The warmth is also different – more natural. Just as the warmth of a tiled stove is more pleasant than that of a standard radiator.		7. Synthetic fibers are hollow fibers like small tubes, in which bacteria can easily settle in a warm, moist environment. This is why synthetic fiber underwear starts to smell very quickly, and the odor is very difficult to remove even with washing.
8. The skin is one of the most important organs of the human body. So why wrap yourself in plastic when nature provides such ingenious material? Why absorb chemical residues from synthetic fibers through the skin? The advantages of natural raw materials are obvious.		8. To tackle this problem, the industry has started equipping synthetic fibers with antibacterial properties. This is often done by adding silver threads, which, according to scientific studies, are strongly suspected of promoting antibiotic resistance.
9. The ecological footprint of a Merino shirt is many times smaller than that of a synthetic fiber shirt. Originally grown on the belly of a New Zealand Merino sheep, a T-shirt made of 100% Merino wool can simply be composted after its life cycle. During use, it only needs to be washed at 30° to become hygienically clean, thus saving energy with every wash cycle.		9. The production of clothing from synthetic fibers (polymers) requires crude oil and other chemicals. Manufacturing consumes a lot of energy in addition to the use of fossil raw materials. Synthetic fiber underwear is not biodegradable for centuries. The necessary higher washing temperature and additional hygiene rinses to curb odors further burden the environment and the wallet.
10. Wool is flame retardant – so an evening by the campfire with flying sparks is no problem.		10. One spark is enough, and a hole is melted into the beautiful poly-shirt. Beware of fire!
11. Due to the crimped structure of the wool fiber, Merino clothing is naturally highly elastic and wrinkle-free. Ironing is not necessary.		11. Most synthetic fibers are not elastic on their own. While this can be achieved by adding elastane, these fabrics often stretch out quickly.

 

 

2. Function of Merino Clothing

The Merino sheep is one of the most robust sheep breeds, primarily due to its ability to adapt to large temperature fluctuations. In the New Zealand Alps, for example, the sheep live in temperatures up to +30°C in summer and down to -20°C in winter. This naturally temperature-regulating effect is of great importance in today's Merino functional underwear. No other functional fiber covers such a wide climate range as Merino wool – whether you are sweating in scorching heat or standing out in icy cold, Merino underwear maximizes temperature regulation. It's no coincidence that the sheep feel comfortable in their wool coat in both summer and winter.

 

 

Merino wool clothing can absorb up to 30% of its own weight in liquid without feeling wet. The skin remains dry for a long time, which significantly minimizes chafing. If more moisture is added, the wool fiber scores with a unique property. Due to its crimped structure and special molecular fiber composition, heat is retained on the body despite the wetness. Synthetic fibers, on the other hand, as hollow fibers, exacerbate evaporative cooling at this point due to the capillary effect, leading to massive cooling and shivering during the drying phase.

Merino ski underwear, for example, can be completely soaked with sweat after a strenuous climb, yet it remains warm, so you barely notice the moisture. Especially in sports with rapid changes between warm and cold, such as ski touring, skiing, or mountaineering, this property of wool is indispensable. Rapid cooling of the muscles is avoided, and the risk of catching a cold is reduced.

Conversely, in hot weather, the moisture buffer of the wool fiber acts as an effective cooling reserve. Slow and even evaporation also draws significantly less sweat from the body. Especially in hot regions, the constant and greatly accelerated evaporation of sweat, promoted by synthetic fibers, can become a serious problem.

Merino wool, on the other hand, reduces the risk of dehydration and associated overheating, and is therefore also an important weight-saving factor on multi-day treks, as less water needs to be carried. In high-altitude mountaineering, minimizing fluid loss is also very important to prevent altitude sickness. Merino functional underwear can make an important contribution here.

Merino shirts and Merino long sleeves offer another opportunity to reduce backpack weight, as no or only one change of clothing is necessary. Wool is virtually self-cleaning and can be worn for many days in a row without smelling, simply by airing it out occasionally in the fresh air.

Merino wool is significantly warmer than synthetic fibers relative to its own weight. The fabric thickness of Merino clothing is always given in grams per m². The thinner fabric weights of 130-170g/m² are ideal for summer or for very strenuous sports, the middle category of 180-250g/m² is for all-round use in spring, autumn, and winter. For very cold conditions in deep winter or for people who get cold easily, there is thermal underwear from 260-320g/m².

 

3. What justifies the price?

 

Merino wool is one of the most noble natural raw materials used in textile production. For Merino underwear, only the thinnest and softest wool fibers from the belly of the Merino sheep are used – essentially the fillet of the wool – to achieve a scratch-free textile. The remaining wool is processed into other products such as Merino bedding or used as insulation material.

It takes time (on average six months) for the wool to grow, so the raw material is not as cheap to produce as the crude oil byproduct synthetic fiber. Nevertheless, there isn't a huge price difference in the final product between Merino functional underwear and well-known synthetic functional underwear products. On average, Merino underwear is only 10-20% higher in price than comparable synthetic underwear. However, Merino wool clothing offers significant functional added value and is a sustainably produced and 100% biodegradable natural product.

Now there are also "cheap Merino underwear" at discount stores or other retail chains that market no-name items through direct sales at significantly lower prices. So why pay more for a branded product like, for example, from the industry leader Icebreaker?

The aforementioned cheap offers primarily use Australian Merino wool from inhumane mass animal husbandry with cruel mulesing (cutting off sheep's tails without anesthesia to prevent fly infestation). Furthermore, simpler weaving techniques are used, which results in lower fabric stability. The fineness of the wool is lower, meaning the wool is scratchier than high-quality Merino grades.

Therefore, we exclusively sell Merino products from renowned brand manufacturers with non-mulesing certified wool, which predominantly comes from New Zealand, Tasmania, or the Andes in South America. Especially Merino wool from mountainous regions with large temperature differences between summer and winter has better climate-regulating properties than cheap Australian wool. The wool quality of animals kept in species-appropriate conditions grazing on alpine meadows is generally better than that of sheep from mass animal husbandry. The Merino brands we sell also use state-of-the-art machine technology in the production of the fabrics.

The higher price is therefore worthwhile in terms of function, quality, and sustainability.

 

4. The myth of scratching

 

The wool of the Merino sheep, due to its very low fiber thickness of 18-22 microns (22 microns = 22 thousandths of a millimeter), is the softest sheep's wool fiber in the world and, thanks to modern weaving technology, is absolutely scratch-free.

Our skin has been familiar with cotton and synthetic fibers since childhood. The feeling of wool, with its completely different (crimped) fiber structure, is unusual upon initial contact with the skin and may cause a slight tingling sensation at first. This tingling sensation disappears after a short time and, the more often you wear Merino underwear, transforms into a very pleasant and soft wearing sensation, accompanied by a natural, comfortable warmth.

This often goes so far that once you are used to the comfort of merino underwear, you can no longer tolerate synthetic fibers with their plastic-like feel.

Many people confuse merino wool with regular virgin wool and therefore immediately have the association of "scratchiness" pre-programmed in their minds. Regular virgin wool scratches because it is almost twice as thick as the merino fiber. Merino, on the other hand, has a fiber thickness of only ¼ of a human hair.

 

 

Even if scientific studies assume that scratching is no longer perceptible below 20 microns fiber thickness, skin sensation is always somewhat subjective.

So, when trying on merino underwear for the first time, take your time, leave it on for at least 15 minutes, and give your skin time to get used to the different feel. Don't constantly think that it might still scratch and only then judge whether the material is comfortable for you. See for yourself.

Should you still feel that you cannot get along with pure merino wool, there are also material blends of merino wool with other natural fibers, such as bamboo (viscose) or wood cellulose (Lyocell), for extremely sensitive skin types, which significantly increase the fineness of the fabrics. The softest fabric qualities in our entire range can be found at Pally’Hi, which offer a merino-viscose blend with incredibly soft wearing comfort. This natural fiber blend certainly feels better than any other textile you have worn so far!

The merino-Lyocell blend, as used for example in the Icebreaker Sphere series, has similar wearing properties and an additional slightly cooling effect for higher outside temperatures.

 

5. Natural warmth - the feel-good plus!

 

Wearing merino wool clothing is like enjoying the cozy warmth of a tiled stove or a fireplace. We are talking about a different kind of warmth, a penetrating and even, a pleasant and not overheating warmth. The crimped structure of the wool fibers holds the warm air cushion, which lies directly on the skin, firmly and does not let it escape quickly even with movement.

Therefore, merino functional underwear should also be worn close to the body, but not too tightly, so that the air cushion is not strongly compressed. Wool reflects body heat inwards, while synthetic fibers dissipate heat outwards.

The ingenious thing about merino functional clothing, however, is that sheep's wool is naturally designed by evolution to always regulate body temperature to a healthy level, even in conjunction with moisture, i.e., it also protects the body from overheating. Without these properties, the sheep could not survive in regions with changing seasons. To this day, it has not been possible to replicate these properties perfected by nature with artificial materials.

 

6. Sweat odor is a thing of the past

 

It is well known that merino underwear does not smell like its counterpart, synthetic underwear. But why? For one thing, merino wool is not a hollow fiber and has an uneven and scaly surface. This makes it very difficult for odor bacteria to settle. In addition, the moisture-storing cell core, through the structure of its inner protein molecules and sulfur-rich proteins, eliminates the bacteria absorbed with the water vapor. The outer layer, on the other hand, due to its waxy surface, is able to repel water in the form of drops, but absorb water vapor. This keeps the outside of the wool fibers dry for a very long time, which also counteracts bacteria formation.

It is enough to hang a merino shirt overnight in the fresh air to neutralize odors. This way it can be worn for many days in a row without smelling unpleasant. In a self-test on tour in the wilderness of Iceland, the Merino Store managing director wore an Icebreaker T-shirt for 1 week straight without a shower – with an astonishing result: The merino shirt could have lasted even longer without really smelling. This would be unthinkable with a functional shirt made of synthetic fibers; it would have had to be changed after just one day.

 

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