Whether you call it Eco, Ethical, Sustainable, Green, Slow, Conscious or Responsible – ultimately it’s about creating and designing beautiful products with a thoughtful approach.
Merino Wool derives from an ancient breed of sheep named, you guessed it – Merino. The Merino breed of sheep is one of the world’s most ancient sheep and tends to live in very harsh environments, meaning it has to have a very good quality wool coat for protection from the elements. Originating from the mountains of Turkey Merino sheep are very hardy and survive in conditions. Merino wool is natural, renewable, and sustainable. Merino wool is scrumptiously super soft, and is the dreamiest, cuddliest, luxurious fiber you can imagine. Aside from being extremely soft and lush, Merino wool offers a vast amount of benefits.
Benefits of Merino Wool:
NATURAL
Wool is a protein fiber formed in the skin of sheep, and is 100 % natural. Merino Wool has been appreciated as one of the most effective forms of all-weather protection known to date. Moreover, science is yet to produce a fiber that can match its properties & or benefits.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE
Merino Wool is sustainable, and renewable. Every year sheep produce a new fleece, making Merino wool a renewable fibre source. Wool growers actively work to improve efficiency and care for natural resources, endeavoring to make the wool industry sustainable for future generations.
BIODEGRADABLE
Wool can be returned to the soil, where it decomposes, and releasing valuable nutrients into the ground.
DYEABILITY
Wool absorbs many different dyes deeply, uniformly and directly without the use of other chemicals. Because of this ability, wool is known for the beautiful, rich colors that can be achieved.
NATURAL INSULATOR
Wool is a hygroscopic fiber. As the humidity of the surrounding air rises and falls, the fiber absorbs and releases water vapour. Heat is generated and retained during the absorption phase, which makes wool a natural insulator. Used in the home, wool insulation helps to reduce energy costs and prevents the loss of energy to the external environment, thus reducing carbon emissions.
BREATHABLE
Wool fibers are crimped, and when tightly packed together, form millions of tiny pockets of air. This unique structure allows it to absorb and release moisture—either in the atmosphere or perspiration from the wearer—without compromising its thermal efficiency. Wool has a large capacity to absorb moisture vapour (up to 30 per cent of its own weight) next to the skin, making it extremely breathable.
RESILIENT
Wool fibers resist tearing and are able to be bent back on themselves over 20,000 times without breaking. Due to its crimped structure, wool is also naturally elastic, and so items made with Merino wool have the ability to stretch comfortably with the wearer, but are then able to return to their natural shape, making them resistant to wrinkling and sagging – therefore maintaing its appearance in the longer term, adding value to the product.
MULTI-CLIMATIC/ TRANS-SEASONAL
Thanks to its hygroscopic abilities, wool constantly reacts to changes in body temperature, maintaining its wearer’s thermophysical comfort in both cold and warm weather.
ODOR RESISTANT
Wool is far more efficient than other textiles at absorbing sweat and releasing it into the air, before bacteria has a chance to develop and produce unpleasant body odor.
HYPOALLERGENIC & ANTI-BACTERIAL
Merino wool is hypoallergenic it is not known to cause allergies and does not promote the growth of bacteria, it I also has naturally anti-bacterial antibacterial properties.
A SAFE SOLUTION
Wool is naturally safe. Thanks to its high water and nitrogen content, wool is naturally flame-retardant, and has a far higher ignition threshold than many other fibers. Wool is self-extinguishing; it will not support combustion. More importantly, when wool burns it doesn’t melt and stick to the skin. That’s why some fire-fighters’ uniforms are made from wool and why it’s an excellent fabric for bedding.
UV PROTECTION
Testing of various textiles shows that wool has a natural UV protection factor of 30+ in more than 70% of cases, much higher than most synthetics and cotton. For harsh summers, merino clothing helps protect against the sun’s potentially deadly rays.
PLEASE NOTE: All the Merino wool used by Manuosh is ethically, and cruelty-free produced & sourced in the Hudson Valley, NY (surrounding areas), & The South. All colors available have been dyed with occurring sources (natural plant / mineral-based pigments) in traditional Mid East manner.