WHAT IS MERINO WOOL AND HOW TO TAKE CARE OF IT?
Merino wool clothing and underwear are of a very high quality and durable. Thanks to their excellent characteristics, the products are held in a high regard among parents as well as athletes. Thermal underwear is irreplaceable in our climate, as it regulates body temperature, while leading moisture away from the body. Merino wool clothes also make great leisurewear.
Merino wool baby clothes will guarantee your baby’s ultimate satisfaction and keep the baby securely warm. Dressing your newly born baby in Merino wool clothes, you can rest assured that the baby will feel soft and comfortable. When the child grows and starts to move more, Merino wool products can be used as the first layer or base layer. The child will not get cold or sweat in Merino wool clothes, no matter how actively they play outside.
Although many associate Merino wool products with wearing layers and cold winter periods, clothes made of Merino wool can actually also be used in the spring and autumn season, as well as during hot summer months when the soft wool ensures pleasant cooling of the skin and, when combined with bamboo fibres, UV protection, among other things.
The advantages of Merino wool
Merino wool is considered the highest class of wool – it is 100% natural and the finest and softest wool there is.
Merino wool is also environment-friendly. Waste wool decomposes within a short period of time and has the impact of a natural fertiliser on the nature.
Merino wool is hypoallergenic, thus, it is especially well-suited for small children and the people with sensitive skin, as well as for those suffering from allergies. Unlike synthetic materials which do not allow the body to breathe, the active fibres of Merino wool respond to the wearer’s body temperature. This means that Merino wool helps to retain heat when it is cold or retain the cool temperature when it is warm. It also prevents sweating. Merino wool clothing is ideal for using as the base layer under outerwear as well as for wearing indoors. Merino wool socks are also good for those who constantly suffer from cold feet.
Reasons for wearing Merino wool
– Wool leads moisture away from your body and regulates the body temperature – you will never be cold or hot when wearing Merino wool underwear, neither in winter nor in summer. The heat-regulating characteristics of wool remain intact even when the wool is moist or wet.
– Especially well-suited to those with sensitive skin and to babies – Merino wool products are not prickly, as he wool fibres are significantly softer compared to regular wool. The products are supremely comfortable and soft.
– Antibacterial features – Merino wool products will not develop an unpleasant smell. Leaving the products out in fresh air for a few hours is enough to refresh them.
– Better sleep – studies have shown that the babies sleeping in Merino wool clothing sleep as much as 30% more peacefully and cry less compared to the children who wear cotton nightwear.
– Designed for using year-round – Merino wool underwear can be worn under any outerwear, as it transports moisture quickly to the next layers of clothing and ensures a uniform environment of moisture and heat. You will not need to dress up warmly when wearing Merino wool clothes, one base layer is enough irrespective of the season!
Washing and maintaining wool
It is often believed that wool clothes are difficult to care for and should not be washed in a washing machine. We have good news for you!
All products of Joha are machine-washable.
NB! In order to prevent deteriorating the quality of the product and to ensue ensure a long service life thereof, please observe the maintenance instructions provided on the product! Vaata siit hooldustähistuse tingmärke.
On the other hand, you will discover soon after beginning to use Merino wool products that you do not even need to use a washing machine. Merino wool has long-lasting natural resistance to microorganisms, thus the clothes made of wool can eb worn for several days without worrying about an unpleasant smell.
It is certainly not necessary to wash a woolly product every time after using or as frequently as you would wash synthetic clothing. One of the reasons is the different reaction to moisture of wool, but also the dirt- and dust-resistant effect of wool – wool washes itself! The self-cleaning effect of wool arises from natural fat, lanoline. Upon coming in contact with moisture, lanolin generates an automatic soaping process which works as ‘washing’.
Thanks to the lanoline content, woolly clothes can be ‘washed’by hanging them outside when the weather is wet.
Leaving outside for 1-2 hours is often sufficient for refreshing a piece of clothing!
If you need to wash a Merino wool item in a washing machine, please observe the following simple principles:
– Always use a specific wool cycle to wash Merino wool products.
– Observe the washing temperature and maintenance guidelines specified on the product.
– Use a washing liquid or powder intended for washing wool.
– To preserve the form, shape the product back into its original shape when it is still damp.
NB! Do not use fabric softeners when washing wool!
Nice to know:
– Any stains on a Merino wool item should be attended to immediately! The longer a stain remains on woolly fabric, the more difficult it will be to remove it.
Will Merino wool get nubby?
It is important to realise that all woolly product will get somewhat stringy or nubby in time. The extent to which this happens, and the speed of the process depend on how well you maintain the product and care for it. NB! This is not deemed a deficiency or a defect in a Merino wool item! Friction makes wool go nubby, this is fully normal behaviour of wool. Using artificial fibres helps to prevent wool from getting nubby, i.e. products containing polyester will not get nubby.
NB! Clothes moths!
No one is safe from clothes moths. Moths can fly into the room through the window, but it is quite likely that they will also come along with old worn clothes where the moth has laid its eggs. It is the caterpillars hatched from the eggs that are the wool fear. Moths adore people whose closets are densely packed with clothes – there they can eat and breed undisturbed. If at all possible, you should do more packing and take the woolen products outside in the morning in the cold -10°C …-20°C is a temperature that has a destructive effect on eggs, larvae and hatchlings. If there is no frost, the textiles that suffer from it can be washed in hot water at 70 degrees or ironed. If you have managed to get rid of the unpleasant guests, you can put chestnut eggs, a lavender sachet, a sprig of sedge or a strong-smelling spice in the wardrobe, e.g. cloves – they do not affect the eggs or larvae, but the adults do not tolerate a strong smell and stay away. In addition, aerosols, pheromone preparations, tablets, which can be found in the household chemistry department, have been developed today.