Merino

Merino is a fine wool, warm for its weight, breathable and comfortable against the skin. This hub holds every pure merino garment the store carries, from Women's Merino Jumpers and Men's Merino Jumpers through to scarves, socks, hats and ponchos. Merino and cashmere blend pieces are excluded and sit in their own hub. House-brand merino knitwear is usually superfine 18.5 micron Australian merino.

192 pieces in this rangeFrom $59 to $399 AUDFree AU shipping over $150

Choosing a merino weight

The choice inside this hub is between a light layer you can wear next to the skin and a heavier merino knit that holds more warmth. Fine merino disappears under a jacket. A denser gauge wears more like a mid layer and drapes with a bit more substance.

About the fibre
Pure Merino Wool Half Zip Pullover

About the fibre

Merino wool comes from merino sheep, and the fibre is fine enough that it bends when it touches skin rather than pricking. House-brand knitwear uses superfine 18.5 micron Australian merino. A lower micron count means a finer fibre and less scratch. Merino is also warm for how little it weighs, and it breathes, which is what makes it wearable indoors all day.

Women's Merino Jumpers
Caring for merino
Pure Merino Wool Half Zip Pullover

Caring for merino

Merino does not need washing after every wear, and an airing between wears is often enough. When it does need a wash, the care label on the garment is the instruction that counts, because the right method varies with the knit. Heat and agitation are what shrink knitwear, so the machine setting matters more than the fibre does.

how to wash merino at home

Common questions

What are the downsides of merino wool?
Merino is softer than a coarse wool. It is lighter than a chunky lambswool, so a fine merino jumper is not a heavy winter garment on its own. Moths eat merino the same as any wool, and it wants gentler washing than a synthetic. Storing merino correctly keeps moths away; the full method is in How to store wool jumpers. Pilling is covered in Why knitwear pills and how to fix it.
Can you knit with merino wool?
Merino yarn is a common choice for hand knitting. It runs smoothly on needles and gives good drape. The yarn page stocks merino knitting yarn, needles and crochet hooks. A piece knitted at home wants the same gentle washing as a bought one. The Woolmark Company explains that fibre diameter in micron, not the word merino on the label, decides whether a knit prickles against the skin, a question covered on the page Is merino wool itchy?.
What is better than merino?
Better depends on what a person wants from a garment. Cashmere is softer and lighter for the warmth it gives, which puts it above merino on the price ladder. A merino and cashmere blend splits the difference. Merino itself is the all rounder that costs less to buy and takes less looking after. Merino or cashmere: how to choose weighs the two.

Keep exploring