When it comes to socks, no matter what you are doing from an everyday or outdoor point of view, most experts out there swear by one fabric for their socks... Merino Wool.
Merino Wool is naturally moisture wicking meaning it manages the moisture your feet create whilst in their shoes or boots. It has the natural ability to “wick” by pulling moisture away from the skin when your feet start sweating. But even though it is drawing moisture into its fibres, Merino Wool maintains the ability to keep your feet warm even when wet, making it ideal for managing sweat and regulating the temperature of your feet.
Merino Wool socks are available in several weights from ultra-lightweight to heavyweight, something that regular wool cannot do so readily, and will always have some additional fibre in them simply because Merino Wool alone despite its natural elasticity, will not usually have all the necessary elasticity required to create a perfect stretch & recover fabric, especially for high activity use. But Merino does offer an incredibly silky-smooth, soft result when woven into socks. Merino also has natural durability and is a flexible fibre that works in both hot and cold conditions to create the perfect thermal micro-climate. It is also naturally odour resistant as it prevents bacteria build-up meaning less likelihood of the dreaded sweaty feet stink.
Equally, Merino Wools socks are probably the most environmentally friendly option out there as the wool is from sustainable sources meaning it’s safer for the sheep that produce the wool and it’s also bio-degradable so, when disposed of, will have zero environmental impact. The Men's Merino Wool socks collection and the Women's Merino Wool socks collection have something for everyone.
Merino Wool has so many qualities that make it the ideal material for those times you need your feet to have the most versatile socks ready for anything. For these reasons Merino Wool socks should be the socks you wear everyday not just for the adventurer in you! Merino Wool fibres help to keep your feet cool in the summer and warm in the winter making them perfect year-round.
- Merino Wool Socks Soft Fabric
We all know Merino Wool as a fabric for socks is good. But what makes Merino Wool socks so different to other socks? Certainly, in the dark and distant past before modern manufacturing techniques, itching was a major issue particularly around the cuff. But merino wool fibres are naturally far less coarse than other wool. The reason is that the fibre is thinner compared to regular wool. You often have to wear something underneath coarse wool socks to protect your skin from possible irritation, however, you can wear merino wool socks directly on your skin because it’s so soft!
- Merino Socks Are Lightweight
Merino Wool socks are made up of fine fibres and are therefore much lighter than other wool. The lightweight structure of the Bridgedale Lightweight Merino Wool run mini-crew socks makes it easier to wear Merino Wool socks with regular shoes as they are lighter on the feet. This unique fibre structure allows manufacturers to create a wide range of varied weight socks using Merino, without making the socks too heavy, something regular wool does not have the ability to do this so effectively. So we can create heavyweight socks that are not so much heavy in the hand, but are created using a denser weave of Merino Wool. More sock for your money.
- Merino Wool Socks Are Sustainable
It’s the buzz work of the 21st Century we know, but Merino Wool is 100 percent ecological. Add to this the fact that most sock brands are moving away from using man-made fibres in their socks too, and it’s not going to be too long before the socks are ALL 100% organic. Typically, Merino sheep are shorn once or twice a year, therefore, their fleece growth is fast. A good sheep shearer can extract Merino Wool from the sheep with no harm to the animal. And because Merino sheep are kept for the purpose of making stuff, they are not slaughtered for their meat. No good killing the golden goose as they say.
- Naturally Odour Resistant
Merino Wool socks have fibres that deter bacterial infestation by the fact they have Lanolin in their fibres. Bacteria infestation in socks is the primary cause of smelly feet. You can wear the Darn Tough mid weight Merino Wool Hiker socks several times before they will need to be washed (depending upon your activity) but taking just one or two pairs of good Merino socks on a 5-day hiking trip, is an absolute fact for many ardent hikers.
- Natural Elasticity
Merino Wool is naturally elastic due to the unique shape of the fibres, a sort of springy shape to them. This allows socks to easily stretch and then return to their original shape. This is why Merino fibres are the best material for socks. The merino fibres help prevent bagging and sagging meaning you can make socks with a high percentage of Merino Wool as the wool acts as its own elastic. This means less alternative fibre is used and you get more Merino for your money. You will notice that Merino Socks have lots of flexibility therefore, when you are wearing merino wool socks, you can easily find the ideal fit for your feet.
- Natural Durability
Merino sheep are very hardy animals. Evolutionarily, they were born and lived in extremely cold conditions without the benefit of a farmers’ shelter and have been doing this for thousands of years, and they still are. The specialty of Merino sheep is that their fleece possesses amazing natural engineering through which they can survive extreme weather conditions. It’s the fibres that make all the difference. Each Merino fibre is like a tiny heat trap in its own right. Put these fibres together and you get the best natural temperature regulating electric blanket around. Even though they are lightweight compared to other wool fibres, Merino Socks keep your feet warm and dry in winter, whilst in summer they help to keep your feet cool and dry.
- Merino Socks Prevents Blisters and Keeps You Skin Dry
Because Merino is moisture-wicking and breathable, it also keeps your feet dry so there are no chances of blisters and skin on skin irritation. We recommend the Injini Merino Wool Liner toe socks for all round blister prevention. The is the perfect fabric to wear as your everyday socks and for hiking socks to boot so check out our collection of Merino Wool Socks.