Merino Care+Facts

How to care for your merino garment;

There are many ways to care for your merino. Here are our recommendations.

Washing machine instructions;

For the busy life, here is an easy, fast and safe solution.

• Use liquid wool detergent if you can. It is made to preserve the fibre.
• If you don’t have wool liquid detergent, dilute the powder detergent in a cup of water before adding it to the wash and be sure it is well dissolve. The fickle of powder can insert into the fibre gaps and create tiny holes.
• Turn your garment inside out and put in in a lingerie bag. 
• You can wash your merino alone or with other similar colours.
• Put on a gentle cycle of wash.
• To dry, remove from bag, give it a slight shake to remove creases and hang on a clothes rack in the shade. If you can avoid using pegs that is ideal or it will leave pegs marks when drying.

 The rush “washing”;

If you are in a rush and would like to refresh your merino.

• Gently spot wash with a clean wet cloth any sticky stains.
• In the bathroom hang your merino or put flat on a small drying rack.
• Have a long steamy shower.
• Get dress and ready. (leave merino in with door closed).
• Take your merino out of the bathroom, wait for 30 minutes.
• Put it on and go enjoy your refreshed merino.The tiny air bubbles in the merino will have been “steam cleaned”.

 The handwashing;

For the person who is very careful.

• In a washing basin dilute the wool liquid soap in cold to lukewarm water.
• Turn your garment inside out.
• Submerge garment in water.
• Gently rub and move garment a bit.
• Let sit for few minutes only.
• Rinse thoroughly well.
• Put a clean and dry towel down.
• Take garment and gently squeeze water out, do not ring.
• Lay garment flat on towel, reshaping it.
• Put second dry-clean towel on top.
• Roll the towel and garment “sandwich” to extract water into the towels.
• Remove garment from" towel sandwich" and dry flat on a rack in the shade.

 

Merino don’ts:

• Do not bleach.
• Do not wring.
• Do not put in a dryer (it could shrink but would survive if accidentally happened).

 

Merino interesting facts:

The special Lanolin oil that protects the wool and sheep skin from infections is what gives the merino wool fibre its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. Meaning it is odourless and can be worn many times without needing a wash.

Merino is sought after in most outdoor activities for its ability to draw in moisture (up to 30% of its own weight) while staying dry to the touch and warm. 

It is this reactive property that makes it "breathable" and help regulate body temperature. When it is cold outside the small pockets of air between the fibres will remain warm and insulate. When the weather is hot it will quickly draw away the moisture from the skin keeping the body cool and dry.

The internal structure of the wool “hair” - a corkscrew like design in three dimensions- is what gives it it’s elasticity and strength. It can be bend back on itself 20,000 times without braking. It is also much finer than other wool giving its reputation to be the “non-itchy” wool.

Merino is a natural fire retardant and will self-extinguish if fire catches on it. Saving your skin from terrible burns compare to other fibres that will melt.

Merino is a great UV protection and will keep you protected from the sun.

There are different merino wool qualities on the market. The most expensive ones will come from the best part of the sheep (made with the fleece) and won’t be harshly processed with acid. That quality wool will of course cost more but won’t be weaken by the carbonisation process and therefore won’t pill.

Merino has made its reputation to be biodegradable and sustainable making it a wise and conscious choice.