What is merino wool?
Wool is a collective term for the fleece of goats, sheep, llamas, and alpacas. Merino wool specifically comes from merino sheep that live in mountainous regions, where they are exposed to both winter cold and high temperatures. Since wool never stops growing, sheep need to be sheared to stay healthy, which usually happens once a year. Fluffy giant bundles are then shipped to spinning mills, where the combed wool is twisted into threads and wound onto large spools. Once the yarn is ready, it is time to produce garments, with knitting being the technique used to make our completely mulesing-free merino wool garments.

3 benefits of merino wool – why choose it?
1. The unique fibre - Wool is a very popular material with unique properties. It is therefore not surprising that people were already using wool to make clothing 10,000 years ago. Wool’s special fibres are resilient and stretchy, which helps them retain their shape for a long time while the garments resist wrinkling. It is also kind to the environment and, with proper care, has a long lifespan.

2. Say goodbye to smelly activewear - The first thing many people think of when it comes to wool garments is that they keep you warm – and that is absolutely true! Merino wool, however, is a natural material with the unique ability to bind both water and air. This means that wool keeps you warm even when it becomes damp. Merino wool clothing is therefore suitable for both play and sports activities, primarily because you feel dry and avoid getting cold thanks to the material’s ability to absorb moisture. In addition, merino wool has both antiseptic and antimicrobial properties, which means that the growth of bacteria is inhibited. In other words, you do not need to worry about the garment developing an odour.

3. Itch-free material in wet and cold conditions - Merino wool is also known for its softness and, thanks to its fine fibres, feels completely “itch-free”. Geggamoja’s merino wool garments, such as our popular wool base layers, are therefore perfect as a first layer next to the body. Whether it is a day on the ski slopes, at preschool, or perhaps at the hockey rink, wool garments work perfectly.

How do I wash and care for my merino wool clothing?
Wool should not be washed too often – save water and air out your wool garments instead. If stains have appeared, you can use gall soap for spot cleaning. When necessary, wash wool garments at 30 degrees on the wool cycle in the washing machine, or by hand. Remember to use wool detergent specially formulated not to damage wool’s fine fibres. When drying the garments, it may be a good idea to dry them flat instead of hanging them on a hanger, primarily to prevent the garment from losing its shape. If you treat your wool garments with care, you will have wool clothing that can keep you warm year after year.

What does it mean that merino wool is mulesing-free?
Mulesing is a procedure performed on merino sheep to prevent flystrike, as their folded skin tends to become infested. The procedure involves removing the skin from the sheep’s hindquarters, which is a painful process often performed without anaesthesia and is highly traumatic for the sheep. Mulesing-free merino wool means that this method has not been used on the sheep the wool comes from. At Geggamoja, we strongly oppose cruel treatment of animals and therefore ensure that our manufacturers use only mulesing-free wool.

Woolmark

The Woolmark label on wool clothing is a globally recognised symbol that guarantees the garment meets strict quality standards for pure wool. It is a certification issued by The Woolmark Company, ensuring that the product consists of 100% pure, untreated wool, or, if it is a blend, that it contains a high proportion of pure wool.

The Woolmark certification means:

1. Quality: The garment is made from high-quality wool, often merino wool, and has undergone rigorous testing for durability, shrink resistance, colourfastness, and other quality factors.
2. Pure wool: The label guarantees that the wool is 100% natural, renewable, and biodegradable.
3. Processing standards: Products with the Woolmark label meet strict requirements regarding how the wool has been handled and processed, ensuring that the wool has not been damaged or mixed with lower-quality or synthetic materials.

In summary, the Woolmark label is a symbol of trust and quality when it comes to wool products, ensuring that consumers receive a reliable and durable garment.

Learn more about Woolmark here

Is Geggamoja’s wool treated with Superwash?

“Superwash” on wool clothing refers to a chemical treatment or mechanical process that makes wool machine-washable without shrinking or felting. This is usually done by either removing the outermost layer of the wool fibres, which consists of tiny scales, or covering it with a synthetic layer, usually chlorine and polymers. The scales on untreated wool otherwise catch on one another during washing, causing shrinkage and felting.

Geggamoja’s wool clothing is NOT treated with this process because:

1. Environmental impact: The Superwash treatment uses chemicals such as chlorine to remove the scales from the wool fibres, which can be harmful to the environment if not handled responsibly. Chlorine waste can cause pollution of water sources.

2. Loss of natural properties: Wool’s natural ability to breathe, regulate body temperature, and resist odours can be affected by the Superwash treatment. The treatment changes the natural structure and feel of the wool, which can reduce some of the benefits offered by untreated wool.

3. Synthetic coating: In some cases, the wool fibres are covered with a synthetic polymer to make them machine-washable. This can reduce wool’s biodegradability and make it more similar to synthetic materials, which are not as environmentally friendly.

We hope you enjoyed this guide and have now learned more about merino wool. Also take the opportunity to read our guide about bamboo.