Exploring merino wool

A close up show of the logo details on the back pocket of a Pinebury Rangeley Short Sleeve Merino Wool Jersey in Pine with an out of focus bikes handlebars in the background.
antures fiber

What Is Merino Wool?

Merino wool comes from the Merino sheep breed known for its fine, soft, and highly crimped wool fibers. It’s prized for its exceptional warmth, breathability, moisture-wicking properties, and ability to regulate body temperature.

Merino wool fibers are coated in lanolin, a waxy substance that effectively draws moisture away from your body and acts as a natural barrier against odor-causing bacteria. This unique feature ensures that our Merino remains breathable and dry, retaining a fresh scent and comfortable feel, allowing you to wash it less.

Our Merino wool is grown in New Zealand from open-range, certified non-mulesed sheep that are shorn once annually.

Understanding fabric weight

What does it mean when we see a fabric being measured by grams per square meter or "GSM"?

GSM is a standardized method to quantify the weight of fabric. Put simply the higher the GSM the heavier or thicker the fabric is. Merino Wool fabrics generally range from 100 gsm (ultra light) to 240 gsm (heavy).

Along with GSM, you may see our fabric specs listed with a micron size. This is a measurement of the diameter of the wool fibers at one thousandth of a millimeter. Merino wool fibers measure between 17.5 (Superfine) to roughly 25 (medium) microns. To put that in perspective, human hair is between 60-88 microns. The finer the fiber (lower number) the softer the fabric will be.

Engineering better wool

Nuyarn® is a spinning technology that releases the natural performance characteristics of wool fiber twisted out by traditional spinning methods.The result: Wool products made from natural fibers that outperform synthetics and conventional merino.

Twist-free spinning creates much more loft and aeration within the wool fibers. This results in natural thermoregulation, breathability, air resistance and the ability to absorb and quickly evaporate water vapor.

With Nuyarn® merino wool we're able to make garments that are lighter, warmer, faster drying, more wind-resistant and significantly more durable.

A photo showing the back of a Pinebury Grafton Short Sleeve Merino Wool Jersey in Brick Red with a magnifying glass illustration showing a microscopic view of the merino wool fibers and how they are not twisted.
A microscopic level view of Nuyarn Merion Wool fibers with text to highlight the benefits; increased volume, no twist, drafted around a performance filament, and two ply yarn 35 percent finer then traditional single ply.
click to Learn more about the benefits of Nuyarn®

benefits beyond the cold

merino Wool when it's warm

Wearing Merino wool in warm weather offers surprising benefits. Despite its reputation for warmth, Merino wool's natural breathability and moisture-wicking properties make it an ideal choice for hot weather.

The fabric efficiently wicks away moisture from the body, allowing sweat to evaporate quickly, which helps to cool you down. Its unique structure also enables air circulation, preventing the fabric from sticking to the skin and promoting a cooling effect. Additionally, Merino wool has the remarkable ability to regulate body temperature, keeping you comfortable by adapting to your body's needs, making it a smart and comfortable choice for daily wear.

A photo of the back of a female cyclist leaning on a white fence, wearing the Pinebury Rangeley Short Sleeve Merino Wool Cycling Jersey in Pine
A gif showing the way Nuyarn Merino Wool expels water and dries
Wool in the Wet

merino Wool when it's wet

Unlike traditional wool, Merino fibers have a unique structure that efficiently pulls moisture away from the body, keeping you dry even when it's wet. This inherent ability helps regulate body temperature, preventing discomfort caused by dampness.

Nuyarn® Merino has the ability to absorb moisture from vapor stage, one tier before synthetic materials. Vapor and perspiration are quickly wicked away from the surface of the skin and absorb into the fabric. The increased aeration in the structure of Nuyarn® Merino begins the drying process even before it arrives at the fabric surface. Merino wool with Nuyarn® dries 5x faster than conventional merino and synthetics.

Merino Wool and Sustainability

Merino wool is considered environmentally friendly for a number of reasons:

First, it's a renewable resource as sheep regrow their wool annually and it's produced through methods that prioritize animal welfare and ethical farming practices.

Second, it's biodegradable, meaning it will naturally decompose when disposed of. Minimizing it's environmental footprint after disposal.

Lastly, Our garments made with Nuyarn® merino wool last 8.8x longer than conventional merino, reducing the environmental impact of apparel production.

Three cyclists riding on double track through a wooded field in Maine in the fall wearing Pinebury Merino Wool Cycling Jerseys

Caring for merino wool

Our garments are designed for versatility and durability. As a result, it's inevitable that your gear with accumulate dirt and sweat and require occasional washing. It's crucial to wash your gear correctly to maintain it's optimal performance and prolong it's life.

Machine Washing:

  • Machine wash cold, delicate cycle
  • Wash with like-colors.
  • Use a wool-friendly or gentle detergent, we recommend Dirty Labs Delicate

    • Hand Washing:

  • Start with a clean sink.
  • Fill it with cold water and a few drops of mild detergent.
  • Let the wool clothing soak for roughly 10-20 minutes, gently agitating the water regularly.
  • Drain and rinse your clothing with clean cold water.
  • Gently squeeze but do not wring out your Merino wool.

    • Drying:

  • The best way to dry your Merino wool clothing is by laying it flat on a towel and flipping it regularly.
  • Another option is to hang on a drying rack or hang to dry over a chair or banister.

    • DO NOT TUMBLE DRY MERINO WOOL.

    A close up shot of the back pockets on a Pinebury Grafton Long Sleeve Cycling Jersey in Moonbeam, with some dirt spray from the back tire
    A large photo showing a man sitting on coastal rocks with the water in the background and an island, in Acadia National Park in Maine. Also showing the transition from the rocks to a thick forest.