MAKING THE CASE FOR MERINO WOOL…IN SUMMER!

In the early aughts, I had the pleasure of working in-house at Raffi. While there, Raffi taught me a lot about knitwear construction, and I came to love fine-gauge merino wool. It seemed like every couple of weeks, I’d find myself ordering personals, and I usually ended up wearing them like any other knit shirt, right against my skin, and just about all year long. Back then, wool sweaters were generally banished to the cedar closet as soon as temperatures warmed up. Still, I found that—particularly with some of the lighter weights—I was comfortable wearing them on all but the very hottest days. That’s why I was all in when Woolmark recently approached me to learn more about Australian Wool collections that were made specifically for summer.

Now, while I “knew” this, it doesn’t hurt to be reminded every so often: merino wool is one of nature’s own performance fibers. Without getting too technical, it’s got built-in (or would that be grown in?) properties that ensure comfort by regulating temperature while offering breathability and moisture-wicking.

Full disclosure: I was given several pieces from Meriwool and Woolly brands to try out. They were a lighter weight and finer gauge than those I remember from my days at Raffi, but they still had that lovely, smooth hand, and, of course, the colors practically glowed. During the last part of this summer, I started swapping out some of the basic Supima cotton T-shirts I usually wear with the Merino T-shirts, polos, Henleys, etc. I was given. When I traveled to Dallas for the men’s show at the end of July, I wore and packed several of the pieces. I found the clothes very comfortable and, especially while traveling, they seemed perfect for moving from chilly air-conditioned environments to outside and back again. I also really liked how nicely they packed and that I could air out a shirt overnight on a hanger and wear it again a day later, no laundering required. (Woolmark and Huckberry recently partnered on the 72-Hour collection, crafted from cutting-edge Merino wool that takes advantage of the material’s natural properties strengthened with nylon for long-lasting durability and machine-washable convenience. Even after 72+ hours of constant wear, it’ll still pass the “sniff test” thanks to its naturally odor-resistant and moisture-wicking properties.)

I have the feeling I’m preaching to the choir here. Merino wool is a favorite among brands such as Bugatchi, Canali, Zegna, Johnnie-O, Peter Millar, and many other luxury labels. What I’m not sure about is whether I can convince you to test summer-weight Merino. Admittedly, it does seem a bit more oriented to the outdoor market than classic menswear, but I think your customers may be pleasantly surprised.

Here’s one more thing to consider: sustainability. Besides the fact that wool is biodegradable, please take a minute to check out my piece from yesterday on the ongoing efforts of Woolmark to make sure that growers, supply chain, and brands work together throughout the production process to make sure we’re doing right by the sheep and the planet.

We’d love to hear from retailers about your thoughts and experiences with Merino wool, particularly for the Spring/Summer season. Do consumers find it too “itchy?” Have they tried it? What works? What doesn’t?