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Our Wool
Wool is nature’s own performance material, and so far no synthetic fiber has been able to replicate its unique properties. In our garments, we use merino wool – and here is why.
Wool Next to the Skin
When choosing wool fibre for base layers, two factors are decisive:
1. The micron count of the fibre
In other words, how fine or thin the fibre is. A human hair measures around 60 microns, while fine wool typically ranges between 14–23 microns. For garments worn next to the skin, the finer the wool, the more comfortable it feels. Coarser fibres can cause irritation.
2. The crimp per centimetre
The more crimped the wool, the more air it traps, creating better insulation. Merino wool has around 40 crimps per centimetre, which is more than any other wool fibre.
Our Choice: Merino Wool
Wool has many unique properties that we want to preserve to optimise the function of our garments. To ensure comfort next to the skin, a low micron count is essential. That is why we chose merino wool.
The wool we use comes from merino sheep grazing in Uruguay and the Argentine part of Patagonia.
The Properties of Wool
A garment keeps you warm by trapping still air. Wool fibres are naturally crimped, and wool textiles contain a high volume of air.
When air is trapped in and between the fibres, heat transfer through the material is reduced. This creates an insulating effect against both cold and heat.
Merino wool can have up to 40 crimps per centimetre, contributing to a high level of insulation.
The short explanation is this: the core of the wool fibre consists of the protein keratin and cells with a high carbon content, while the outer layer is water-repellent and dirt-resistant. Dirt and odour particles remain on the surface of the wool and can easily be aired out.
Woolpower garments can also be washed at 60°C without shrinking.
If we go into more detail, this is how it works:
The core of the wool fibre is made up of the protein keratin, surrounded by fibrils filled with carbon-rich cells. These cells are in constant movement against each other. The friction created generates a mechanical self-cleaning effect. The combination of friction, keratin and carbon helps break down odour-causing bacteria and counteracts the growth of new ones.
The outermost cell layer consists of tightly bonded scales, arranged somewhat like roof tiles. This surface does not allow liquid water or dirt to penetrate, meaning they remain on the outside of the fibre. However, it does allow water vapour - such as perspiration - to pass through, as these molecules are smaller and less tightly bound.
In other words, wool provides a natural barrier against liquid water, but not against water in vapour form.
Wool fibres can absorb moisture both between the fibres and inside the fibre itself – up to 30 percent of their own weight without feeling damp. Because the outermost cell layer of the fibre is tightly bonded, it becomes water-repellent and dirt-resistant, while still allowing water vapour to pass through.
In other words, wool provides a natural barrier against liquid water, but not against water in vapour form.
Efficient Moisture Transport
To balance pressure differences, the fibre actively works to transport moisture from the inside of a garment to the outside, while allowing water vapour to pass through. These properties help keep you dry and support thermal insulation.
Warm Even When Damp
When wool fibres absorb moisture, a chemical reaction occurs that generates heat within the fibre – a process known as heat of absorption. This is why a wool base layer keeps you warm even when damp.
Wool helps regulate body temperature by balancing conditions inside and outside the garment. It actively transports excess heat and moisture away from the body, helping you stay comfortably warm.
In many warm climates, the layering principle is also used – but with thin wool layers that help move excess heat away from the body and keep the wearer cool.
The goal is to keep the wearer comfortable and protect against overheating.
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The Structure of the Wool Fibre
Wool is composed of keratin, a protein with a structure similar to human hair. The wool fibre contains 18 amino acids, several of which contribute to its unique ability to bind moisture. The fibre consists of an inner core, called the cortex, and an outer layer of overlapping scales known as the cuticle.
The cortex makes up approximately 90 percent of the fibre and consists of two different types of cells that expand differently when exposed to moisture. This difference causes the wool to crimp. The outer cuticle layer overlaps like fish scales.
In its unwashed state, wool is coated with lanolin, a natural wax that provides water-repellent properties.
When wool absorbs moisture, the scales can lift slightly, allowing the fibre to expand. Wool can expand by up to 30 percent when damp. Its structure also enables it to trap large amounts of air, which contributes to its high insulating capacity.
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100% Mulesing-Free Wool
You may have heard of mulesing. It is a procedure commonly carried out on merino sheep, primarily in Australia. Merino sheep have both dense wool and loose skin, which can create folds. In Australia, a particular fly can lay eggs in the skin folds around the sheep’s tail area. When the eggs hatch, the larvae can burrow into the skin, causing severe infections that may be fatal if untreated.
To reduce this risk, skin is removed from the tail area of lambs. As the area heals, the skin becomes tighter and less susceptible to flystrike.
While the intention is to prevent infection, the procedure has been criticised because it has sometimes been performed without adequate pain relief.
We want the sheep that provide our wool to be well cared for and not subjected to painful procedures. That is why we source our wool from Uruguay and Argentina, where this specific fly does not occur. As a result, mulesing is not practiced, and we can guarantee that all the wool used in our garments is 100% mulesing-free.
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When Wool Feels Itchy
When wool feels itchy, it is because coarser fibres do not bend against the skin but press straight into it. The finer the fibres, the softer the wool feels.
The micron count, which measures fibre diameter in thousandths of a millimetre, determines fineness. Fine wool typically ranges from 17 to 23 microns, while fibres above 28 microns can feel coarse against the skin.
Woolpower base layers are designed not to feel itchy when worn next to the skin.