How to care for Merino & Lambswool Clothing: A Customer Guide
There aren’t many finer materials than merino and lambswool. Both offer exceptional qualities that make them stand out in knitwear: softness, warmth, and natural breathability. At Peter Gribby, we use these fibres extensively across our collections to deliver luxury with lasting performance.
However, their natural beauty comes with specific care requirements. Treating them properly will maximise longevity, maintain their unique characteristics, and protect your worthwhile investment.
This guide goes beyond the basics, explaining why certain care instructions matter and how to get the best out of your merino and lambswool garments.
If you have questions or need personalised advice for Peter Gribby products, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Merino vs Lambswool: Understanding the Differences
Both merino and lambswool come from sheep but differ in key ways that affect how you care for them.
- Merino wool is sourced from Merino sheep and is prized for its exceptionally fine, smooth fibres. This makes it soft against the skin and remarkably elastic, giving merino garments their natural resilience and shape retention.
- Lambswool is the first shearing from a young lamb, usually less than seven months old. It’s wonderfully soft and warm, often perceived as a gentler, more delicate fibre. However, it’s slightly coarser and bulkier than merino and tends to be more fragile, meaning it requires gentler handling to avoid damage.
Because of these differences, merino and lambswool each demand slightly different care to preserve their qualities.
Caring for Merino and Lambswool Clothing
When it comes to caring for woollen garments, understanding the delicate nature of the fibres is key. While merino and lambswool share many qualities, their unique characteristics require some differences in treatment.
Below, we explore each essential care step with detailed reasoning behind the best practices, helping you make informed choices.
Washing
Washing wool garments isn’t just about cleanliness; it’s about preserving fibre integrity and performance. Wool is a protein fibre made of keratin, which responds differently to water, detergents, and mechanical action compared to synthetic fabrics.
Merino
Merino fibres are fine and highly elastic. This elasticity means they can bounce back from gentle mechanical action, which is why many merino garments can tolerate machine washing on a wool cycle.
However, the keyword here is gentle. Hot water, vigorous agitation, or harsh detergents can cause fibres to swell, lock together, and felt, shrinking your garment and ruining the fit.
Cold or lukewarm water maintains the fibre’s natural structure without causing damage. Hand washing remains the safest option because it gives you complete control over agitation and temperature. Avoid wringing or twisting the fabric, as this stresses the fibres unnecessarily.
Lambswool
Lambswool is from the first shearing, so the fibres are fresher but less mature and more fragile. This makes lambswool more susceptible to damage during washing. The fibres are bulkier and less elastic, so mechanical stress from machine washing can cause permanent deformation or pilling.
Hand washing in cold water with minimal agitation is the safest method. If machine washing is unavoidable, a wool-specific delicate cycle and a protective laundry bag reduce friction and fibre damage. Avoid wringing; gently pressing water out is the way to go.
Summary: The difference in fibre maturity and elasticity between merino and lambswool explains why merino is more robust to machine washing, while lambswool requires extra caution.
Detergent
Not all detergents are created equal, especially when it comes to wool. Wool’s keratin structure is sensitive to enzymes and alkaline conditions found in many conventional detergents, which break down the protein fibres, leading to fuzziness, weakening, and loss of softness.
Merino
A wool-safe, pH-neutral detergent protects merino fibres without stripping away natural oils responsible for softness and water resistance. Enzyme-free detergents prevent fibre degradation, extending garment life. Fabric softeners are counterproductive; they coat the fibres, impeding merino’s breathability and moisture-wicking qualities.
Lambswool
Lambswool’s delicate fibres are even more vulnerable to harsh chemicals. The right detergent safeguards the soft hand feel and prevents brittleness. Using fabric softeners here can make the wool feel limp and reduce its insulating properties, defeating the purpose of this luxury fibre.
Summary: The chemical sensitivity of wool fibres means a gentle, specialised detergent is essential for maintaining softness and durability.
Drying
Drying wool is a make-or-break step in garment care. The way wool is dried affects its shape, feel, and lifespan.
Merino
Merino’s elasticity helps it retain shape, but heat is still a killer. Tumble drying exposes wool to heat and mechanical tumbling, which shrinks fibres, causing irreversible damage. Laying flat to dry maintains the garment’s silhouette and gently restores the knit’s tension as moisture evaporates.
Avoiding direct sunlight is important because UV rays degrade wool proteins, fading colours and weakening fibres.
Lambswool
Lambswool is more sensitive to stretching and distortion when wet. Unlike merino, it doesn’t bounce back as readily. Laying flat to dry is non-negotiable, but the drying surface and environment should be chosen carefully. A soft towel that absorbs moisture without crushing fibres is best.
Moving lambswool while wet should be minimal to avoid stretching or pulling delicate stitches out of shape.
Summary: Heat and mechanical stress destroy wool fibres, but careful flat drying respects their structure and retains softness and shape.
Storage
Proper storage isn’t just about tidiness; it protects your garments from environmental damage and pests.
Merino
Merino’s durability means it’s less prone to deformation in storage, but hanging can still cause shoulder bumps and distortion over time. Folding preserves shape and is the best practice.
Wool fibres attract moths because of the natural lanolin and residual skin oils trapped in the fabric. Storing wool clean removes these attractants. Using natural repellents like cedar wood or lavender deters moths without harmful chemicals.
Breathable storage, avoiding plastic bags, prevents moisture build-up and mildew, which cause unpleasant smells and fibre damage.
Lambswool
Lambswool requires even more care in storage because its fibres are bulkier and more prone to crushing and pilling. Folding carefully and avoiding overcrowded drawers or boxes helps maintain loft and texture.
Breathable cotton storage bags reduce friction and protect from dust while allowing air circulation. Regularly replacing moth deterrents is vital because wool is an attractive food source for larvae.
Summary: Storage practices reflect the fibre’s fragility and pest vulnerability, with lambswool demanding gentler, more protective conditions.
Why These Care Instructions Matter
By following these tailored care instructions, you’re not just keeping your garments clean; you’re actively preserving the qualities that make merino and lambswool so special: softness, breathability, fit, and longevity.
Ignoring these differences risks shrinking, felting, pilling, or losing the luxurious hand feel. With proper care, your knitwear will reward you with lasting comfort and style.
Final Thoughts
Merino and lambswool are fibres with unique personalities and care needs. Merino’s resilience offers a bit more leeway, while lambswool requires a gentler, more mindful approach.
At Peter Gribby, our commitment to quality extends to supporting you in caring for your investment. Follow these guidelines to enjoy your knitwear season after season, and don’t hesitate to contact us for personalised advice.
And remember, always read the care instructions first
