Merino Wool Socks: It's Organic and Packed with Benefits for your Feet

Merino Wool Socks: It’s not that hot, itchy sweater you think it is. If you are not a Merino wool snob yet, you’re missing out. It’s a common misconception that because Merino Wool is Wool, its hot and only good for colder months. The reality is, this is not true. What exactly is Merino Wool and why do you want/need it?

1. These socks are incredibly soft. The technical jargon behind this basically broken down like this; the fibers are super flexible so as you move, the fibers bend and adapt to the motion. This avoid the “scratchiness” that you get from plain ol’ Wool.

2. Merino Wool is Temperature Regulating. Might be the biggest difference from Wool. While wool traps heat inside the sock, Merino Wool using its breathable, moisture wicking properties to help regulate the temperature of the foot.

3. Merino Wool is super durable. The Merino sheep has to be able to survive in extreme weather conditions. Even though Merino Wool is lightweight, those sheep have to survive 86˚F in summer months and 14˚F in the winter.

4. Merino Wool can be “unshrunk.” Merino Wool is like memory foam, it actually remembers its shape. Yes, it can shrink if you do not follow the care instruction, but if you have accident, the merino wool socks can be “unshrunk.” We have seen some products on Shark Tank, as well as home remedies to fix that Merino Wool product that accidentally wound up in the wrong wash or dryer. Paul Bryan, Inc. cannot attest to how well those remedies or products work, but it can’t hurt to try and make something wearable again.

5. Merino Wool is Moisture Wicking. This means it absorbs sweat and dampness and then “pushes” it away to areas of the yarn to dry. This results in less bacteria and quicker drying times.

6. Merino Wool is All Weather Material. Yep, as previously mentioned above, it is temperature regulating, keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer due to its breathability. Merino Wool can absorb and retain up to 30% of its own weight in water without even feeling damp. How about that fact?

7. Merino Wool is lightweight. Due to how fine the merino wool fibers are, the result is that merino wool is much lighter than other wools. In turn, making it lighter on your feet and much, much easier to wear with shoes that thicker, heavier wool socks.

8. Merino Wool is sustainable. Ok, so, this is to be expected considering the wool is called merino wool because it comes from merino sheep. Not sure it gets more organic than that. No sheep were hurt in procuring your merino wool socks as merino sheep are shorn once or twice a year. All shearing is done by hand and is like a haircut to you and I, it does not hurt. Like our hair, merino sheep’s wool, grows back as they can grow four to five pounds a year.

9. Merino Wool is easy to maintain. So, the good news here is that merino wool is not something that needs to be washed as frequently as other material. As mentioned above, this is another reason that Merino Wool is sustainable, due to a lesser impact on the environment.

10. Merino Wool is breathable. Let’s get a little scientific here. Merino Wool fibers are a buffer for moisture and the skin. What this means for breathability is that as moisture develops on the foot, it is absorbed by the merino woolen fibers and stored until the moisture levels drop, then released. Allowing for quick drying due to breathability.

11. Merino Wool is fire resistant. It has extremely high thermal properties, with the ignition point at 1,058-1,112 degrees Fahrenheit, which is one of the highest fabric ignition temperatures. Upon combustion, wool fibers do not melt or stick and are self-extinguishing.

12. Merino Wool is biodegradable. Merino Wool is a natural and renewable resource. Sheep eat grass. Sheep produce wool. When Merino Wool is disposed, it just decomposes into the soil, in as little as a few months and as long as a few years. The nutrients from the Merino Wool are release back into the earth.

13. Merino Wool is layerable. What do we mean by this? Well, because of a combination of benefits listed above, these features such as breathability, wicking, quick drying and temperature control, they all work together to transport the sweat away from the skin and outside the layers. In turn, this helps keep you warm and dry when you are in a situation requiring you to add layers.

14. Merino Wool offers UV protection. Yes, your socks offer UV ray protection. It’s a very simple answer as to how. The merino woolen fibers simply absorb UV radiation, which then, in turn, keep the UV away from penetrating the skin.

15. Merino Wool is Anti-Static and Wrinkle Free. Yep, Merino Wool easily shakes the wrinkle curse and because it can really absorb the moisture vapors, it will not create static electricity. The added benefit of being anti-static is that it will not become a stage five clinger.

16. Merino Wool does not stretch or sag. That’s right, Merino Wool fibers, as mentioned above, won’t shrink, but they also will not stretch. The internal memory of the Merino Wool fibers will return to its natural shape upon stretching. The other benefit of this is that Merino Wool socks tend to have a perfect fit because they are loaded with flexibility, unlike your shirt neck hole.

17. Merino Wool Prevents Blisters. While you don’t realize how important the whole wicking thing is, another benefit of that and the breathability is the ability to help prevent blisters. This is because the skin is dryer, which reduces irritation due to movement.

18. Merino Wool is Antimicrobial and Antibacterial. You might know this already, but Merino Wool is antimicrobial and antibacterial. Like all wools, Merino Wool have lanolin in there, which is a wax that is produced by sheep’s gland that protects their skin from the wet weather. This wax also gives the merino wool its antibacterial properties that keep the wool from smelling. What this really comes down to for you, is that this Lanolin makes your socks better for your feet.

In closing, is Merino Wool great? Yes, it is. Does it do everything? No, no it does not. It is not a performance sock. A sock constructed primarily of Merino Wool is more about comfort. However, Merino Wool can be blended and used in conjunction with yarns that are performance based to create performance socks, so in a way, Merino Wool is a super fiber, but it just needs some help. Merino Wool is awesome, no matter how you slice it. You just can’t go wrong with a nice pair of Merino Wool socks.