Is merino wool itchy?
Merino wool is not inherently itchy. The sensation against the skin is set by the diameter of the individual fibres, measured in microns. The Woolmark Company puts fibres below 19.5 micron in the next to skin category. Merino knitwear made from fine fibre is comfortable for most people.
The short answer
Micron is the whole answer, and the fibre name is close to irrelevant. Merino fibre diameter typically ranges from less than 17.5 micron to around 22 to 24 micron, according to The Woolmark Company. Fibres at the fine end, below 19.5 micron, suit next to skin wear. Roughly 19.5 to 22 micron suits general apparel.
Knit-On house brand knitwear is usually made from superfine 18.5 micron Australian merino. That sits below the 19.5 micron mark Woolmark identifies for next to skin garments. Worth saying plainly: that figure describes our own house brand, not every merino garment in the shop, because the range carries a number of other labels alongside it.
Micron is the number that decides it
A micron is one millionth of a metre. The lower the number, the finer and softer the fibre. Merino wool is generally less than 22 micron, with the finest measuring below 17.5 micron, according to The Woolmark Company. For a sense of scale, the average human hair measures between 50 and 100 micron.
Woolmark also settles the question of what causes the prickle. The feeling of prickle and itch comes from fibres with coarse microns, of any type of fibre. A garment is itchy because of the coarseness of the fibre it is made of, not because it is wool. Coarse cotton or synthetic fibres produce the same sensation, which is why the fibre name on the label tells you less than the micron does.
What 18.5 micron means in practice
Knit-On house brand knitwear is Australian designed and usually made from superfine 18.5 micron Australian merino. At that count the fibre sits under the 19.5 micron mark for next to skin comfort, which is why it can be worn without a layer underneath.
We choose merino for four reasons. Softness comes first. Then warmth without weight, which is the property people notice when they pick a jumper up and find it lighter than it looks. Breathability and versatility complete the list. Our range runs to 65 styles in Men's merino, from $79 to $249 AUD, and 76 styles in Women's Merino Jumpers, from $99 to $499 AUD. Those collections carry several brands, so check the fibre detail on the individual product page rather than assuming a single micron figure across the whole range.
Why some wool still itches
Merino is not a single grade. Fibre diameter runs as high as 22 to 24 micron at the coarse end, and Woolmark places fibres between roughly 19.5 and 22 micron in general apparel rather than next to skin wear. A jumper labelled merino with no micron information could sit anywhere in that span.
Any fibre will prickle when it is coarse enough, natural or synthetic. That is the reason the micron count matters more than the word on the swing tag, and the reason an honest answer to the question is not a flat no. Even a garment that is 100 percent merino can feel prickly where the fibre diameter is at the coarse end.
What we tell customers in store
Whether merino is itchy is the question customers ask us most often. They also want to know how warm it is, and how to wash and care for it. Our answer on comfort is the same one every time: superfine 18.5 micron Australian merino is soft and comfortable to wear, while still providing warmth without feeling too heavy.
Washing comes up in the same conversation, and the steps that keep the fibre in good condition are set out in How to wash a wool or merino jumper. Customers weighing merino against cashmere usually want the price question answered too, which is covered in Merino or cashmere: how to choose. Staff at our Melbourne CBD store at 520 Bourke Street and our Ripponlea store at 79 Glen Eira Road give advice on fit, sizing, style, fibre and care. Simon started the business in 2014 from a small kiosk at Spencer Street Outlet, and it is still family owned and run.
Common questions
How do you stop merino wool from itching?
Choose a garment made from fine merino, below 19.5 micron. A jumper that itches does so because the fibre is coarse, and no washing technique changes fibre diameter. Knit-On house brand knitwear usually uses 18.5 micron merino, which is soft and comfortable to wear.
Is 100% merino wool itchy?
Not necessarily. A garment that is 100 percent merino contains no other fibre, but that says nothing about how fine the fibre is. Merino spans less than 17.5 micron to around 22 to 24 micron, so the micron count decides the feel, not the percentage.
Which wool is the least itchy?
The finest micron wools. Merino with a fibre diameter below 19.5 micron suits next to skin wear, according to The Woolmark Company. A comparison with cashmere sits in Merino or cashmere: how to choose.
What micron is Knit-On house brand merino?
Usually 18.5 micron superfine Australian merino, which sits below the 19.5 micron mark Woolmark gives for next to skin garments. That figure applies to the house brand rather than to every merino garment in the range.