The Merino Is one of the world’s most ancient breeds of sheep and one of the toughest. Unlike regular sheep who chew grass in the lowlands, the merino is built to survive the scorching summers and freezing winters of New Zealand’s rugged Southern Alps range.
The Merino are only able to survive these extremes due to the incredible, natural engineering of their fleece. Super lightweight and breathable, the Merino’s summer coat keeps it cool in temperatures of up to +35°C. In winter, the merino grows an extra layer of wool over their base coat to protect them against temperatures that plummet to -20°C.
Simple, ingenious, efficient. Nature’s solutions aren’t tested in laboratories; they face the ultimate field test. If nature gets it wrong, the sheep dies.
Merino Wool offers us, the sheep and the environment important benefits. Merino sheep are usually the fortunate recipients of unrivaled animal husbandry. After all, the quality of their fleece is directly determined by the quality of the nutrition, shelter and care they receive.
Merino wool is super soft and is made up of fine fibres that are comfortable next to the skin. It outperforms most other fibres with its ability to resist the build up of unpleasant odor. Clothing made from Merino wool can be subjected to extreme conditions for days at a time without incurring any odour. It also naturally protects from UVB and UVA rays without any additional treatment, making it perfect for wearing throughout the summer months.
Merino fibres actively manage moisture by absorbing from the skin and then desorbing (yes it's a word) to the atmosphere. leaving you dry and comfortable.
And the benefits keep on coming. Merino wool is incredibly strong and can stretch to +30% of its length without breaking. Merino fibres have an intrinsic, wavelike structure called a crimp, that aid in their resilience.
Merino is a technically active fibre and has the ability to gain and release heat, depending on the wearers next to skin environment as well as the external conditions. As Merino absorbs moisture, it releases small amounts of heat. In opposite cycles, the reverse is true, meaning you stay warm when it's cold and cool when it's warm. It's like wearing your own personal air conditioning.
So the benefits of Merino Wool are huge and it's to everyone's advantage that the sheep lead long, healthy lives and if they do, we get to wear high performance, sustainable clothing. It's also good for the environment! Unlike cotton, which is grown using vast quantities of pesticides and and is then subjected to a barrage of chemicals in production, Merino production has a reassuringly low impact.
After reading this it may come as no surprise that we are huge fans. You can click here if you want to see the range of 100% Merino Wool clothing we carry.
Natural Man
