Merino wool is a unique fiber derived from Merino sheep living in high-altitude regions, primarily in Australia and New Zealand. Known for its cashmere-like softness and natural ability to regulate body temperature, moisture, and odor, Merino wool has become an increasingly popular alternative to synthetic materials and cotton for outdoor apparel.

Where Does Merino Wool Come From?

Merino wool has a fascinating backstory spanning centuries and continents. It all began with a special breed of sheep - the Merino sheep - known for their exceptionally soft and fine fleece.

These sheep first appeared in Spain around the 12th century. The locals highly valued their wool, and through careful breeding, they made these sheep's fleece incredibly soft and luxurious. The wool was such a hit that even Spanish royalty got in on it, trying to keep it all to themselves. However, things took an unexpected turn when some of these special sheep were gifted to European leaders in the 18th century.

These leaders were thrilled to have these unique sheep and started breeding them in their own countries. That's when the Merino wool industry took off in Europe. Later on, countries like Australia and New Zealand played a huge part in making Merino wool a global sensation.

Today, Merino sheep are bred in various parts of the world, but they especially thrive in high-altitude regions. Places like the Andes in South America and the mountains of New Zealand provide an ideal environment for these sheep. The harsh, colder climates at higher altitudes challenge the sheep, encouraging the growth of their incredibly fine, insulating fleece. The extreme conditions shape the wool, making it ultra-soft, yet resilient, and excellent at trapping warmth while remaining breathable – a perfect combination for high-performance outdoor apparel, which is why all of Raw Style’s mountain bike jerseys are made from Merino wool.

Benefits of Merino Wool

Now that you know the main benefits of Merino wool, let’s dive deeper into each one.

Merino Wool is Extremely Soft

The secret lies in the structure of the Merino wool fibers themselves. The microscopic scales on each fiber are much finer and densely packed than those found on other sheep breeds. This finer scale structure is a key contributor to the smooth and soft feel of Merino wool against the skin.

Unlike coarser wool, which may feel scratchy, Merino wool creates a gentle, comfortable sensation, making it a favorite for those with sensitive skin. It’s often heard that Merino wool feels like cashmere.

Another factor contributing to Merino wool's softness is its natural crimp. The fibers have a wavy structure that adds loft and bounce to the wool. This crimp, combined with the fine diameter of the fibers, results in a material that is not only soft but also incredibly elastic. This natural elasticity makes Merino wool garments comfortable to wear, conforming to the body's movements without losing their shape.

Merino Wool Regulates Body Temperatures During Activity

Merino wool isn't just about unparalleled softness; it's also incredibly efficient at regulating body temperature. Unlike synthetic fabrics that can trap heat and leave you feeling stuffy, Merino wool is a natural regulator. Its fibers have a unique structure that allows them to trap and release heat as needed, keeping you comfortably warm in colder weather and cool when it's hot.

The magic lies in the crimp of the wool fibers. The natural wavy structure creates tiny pockets of air within the fabric. These pockets act as insulation, trapping heat close to your body in chilly conditions. Conversely, when it's warm, the fibers allow excess heat to escape, preventing overheating. So, whether you're on a fall dawn patrol or going for a KOM during a summer scorcher, Merino wool adapts to your body's temperature, ensuring comfort year-round.

Merino Wool Manages Sweat

Merino wool isn't just your temperature guardian; it's also a pro at managing moisture. Sweating is a natural part of being active, but Merino wool takes this in stride. The fibers have a unique ability to absorb moisture vapor, wicking it away from your skin and into the fabric's core. This keeps you dry and comfortable, even during the most strenuous rides.

Moreover, Merino wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp. This remarkable moisture management prevents the growth of odor-causing bacteria, making Merino wool a far better choice than synthetic or cotton (more on this below). Say goodbye to that clammy feeling – with Merino wool, you stay dry, fresh, and ready for whatever the trail brings.

Merino Wool is Odor Resistant

Body temperature regulation and sweat management are two key components that allow Merino wool to be odor resistant. The other key component is Merino wool’s ability to manage odor-causing bacteria. Let’s take a look at how body odor forms to better understand this.

When we sweat, our skin produces two types of oils: the watery, odorless kind (eccrine) and the thicker, oilier kind that’s rich in fatty compounds (apocrine). The pungent oniony body odor scent emerges when these oils and naturally occurring skin bacteria start to accumulate during heavy sweating. This build-up creates an ideal hot, humid environment for bacteria to feast on apocrine sweat’s fatty, oily compounds, and the resulting molecular byproducts are what cause the odor.

So, how does Merino wool control body odor?

Merino wool’s fibers are like superheroes for moisture. They quickly absorb the watery sweat (eccrine) and whisk it away from your skin, letting it evaporate. This helps you stay dry and comfy while active.

Wool works to buffer the dynamic micro-climate between the fabric and the skin. Source: The Woolmark Company

Now, the cool part – microscopic scales on the surface of Merino wool fibers create an unfriendly environment for odor-causing bacteria. As a result, odors don’t readily cling to Merino wool and when they do, they’re easily removed with a simple rinse or air-out.

Merino Wool vs. Other Fabrics

With all of Merino wool’s big benefits, you might be wondering how Merino wool stacks up against other fibers. We’ll explore that here with an eye towards how well each fiber performs during activity.

Traditional Wool vs. Merino Wool

The word “wool” for a lot of people conjures up memories of their dad’s old itchy sweater, which is why you’ll often hear, “I can’t wear wool.” Luckily, Merino wool keeps the good qualities of traditional wool (keeps you warm, odor management) and improves on the bad ones (softness, breathability).

Source: The Woolmark Company

The underperformance of traditional wool vs Merino wool comes down to fiber size. Merino wool fibers are much finer than traditional wool fibers, giving Merino wool an advantage in most categories.

Softness: Merino wool is extremely soft, thanks to its fine, flexible fibers that delicately embrace your skin. Many say that Merino wool feels like cashmere, all while being a high-performance fiber perfect for vigorous activities like mountain biking.

Body Temperature Regulation: Merino boasts the remarkable ability to keep you warm in the cold and cool in the heat. Traditional wool excels at retaining heat, but it doesn’t breathe. Merino wool’s fine fibers enhance breathability, letting go of excess heat when it's warm to keep you from overheating. At the same time, it envelops you in a warm layer of air when the cold sets in.

Sweat Management: Both traditional and Merino wool can absorb moisture, but Merino wool's finer fibers and unique structure enable it to absorb moisture vapor (sweat in gas form) more effectively. This moisture-wicking prowess allows Merino wool to swiftly pull sweat away from your skin, keeping you drier for longer during your rides.

Odor Control: Traditional wool is relatively good at controlling odors, but it can retain odors due to its dense structure, creating a less-than-fresh experience. Merino wool fibers are smaller and less hospitable to bacteria, and their greater ability to wick moisture away also inhibits the growth of odor-causing microbes.

Merino Wool vs. Synthetic

Softness: While synthetic fabrics have come a long way in terms of comfort, they often don’t match the natural softness of Merino wool. Some people may find them less comfortable against the skin, especially during heavy sweating where synthetics can feel clammy and sticky.

Body Temperature Regulation: Synthetic fabrics are good at dumping heat because of their excellent breathability, but fall short at keeping you warm in cold temps – it’s the opposite effect of traditional wool. Merino wool performs well in both hot and cold weather.

Sweat Management: This is where synthetic fabrics shine. They absorb moisture effectively and dry quickly, often making synthetics the go-to choice for activewear. However, the ability to absorb sweat comes with a major downside: odor retention.

Odor Control: Ever wonder why you can’t get the body odor smell out of your favorite synthetic fabric mountain bike jersey, no matter how many times you run it through the wash? Yet, body odors never linger in your Merino wool gear? The secret again is in the fabric itself and specifically, how the fabric interacts with sweat.

Synthetic fabrics love body oils because most synthetics are made from… You guessed it. Oil!. Synthetics are essentially plastics and once body oils are absorbed into synthetic fibers, it’s extremely difficult to remove them, even after endless rounds of washing.

In contrast, Merino wool is remarkably skilled at releasing odors when it gets a breath of fresh air or a gentle rinse. This means you can confidently wear your Merino wool mountain bike jersey multiple times before tossing it in the washing machine, significantly extending the life of your gear.

Merino Wool vs. Cotton

Softness: Cotton has long been king when it comes to softness, primarily due to a combination of factors related to its natural fibers and the way it is processed. Like Merino wool, cotton fibers are fine and bend easily when against the skin, creating a soft feel.

Body Temperature Regulation: Similar to synthetics, cotton breathes well to help keep you cool in warm temperatures, but it doesn’t retain heat well in the cold. Cotton is best suited for moderate temperatures where Merino wool excels in both hot and cold environments.

Sweat Management: Cotton is very good at absorbing sweat, but poor at allowing sweat to evaporate. You’ve probably noticed that once cotton gets wet, it takes a long time to dry out. This is one of the biggest reasons synthetic fibers have become massively popular in activewear, but as we now know, synthetics don’t solve the issue of odor retention.

Odor Control: Unlike Merino wool, cotton has a tendency to hold on to body odor over time. Regular washing won’t rid cotton of body odor smells, so you experience the same odor lingering effect with cotton as you do with synthetics. Poor odor control and sweat management are the primary reasons you don’t see much cotton activewear on the market.

Natural Fibers are Biodegradable

Natural fibers provide the added benefit of being biodegradable, meaning that they can naturally decompose at the end of their lifecycle and return valuable nutrients back to the earth. As consumers, choosing clothing made from natural fibers like wool and cotton is increasingly important when 21 billion tons of clothing materials are sent to the landfill every year. Synthetic fabrics like polyester are really just plastics made from oil. These plastics never fully decompose.

Source: The Woolmark Company

Merino Wool is the Natural Choice

Merino wool stands out as the natural choice for mountain bike apparel, offering unparalleled softness, adaptability to various conditions, and effective odor control. That’s why Raw Style uses the finest Australian Merino wool in its mountain bike jerseys, making it time to finally ditch that smelly old plastic gear for a Merino wool mountain bike jersey that will remain odor-free and stand the test of time.