Merino Wool Socks – Advantages and Disadvantages

Merino Wool is a special type of wool derived from the Merino sheep. It is a famous type of wool because it gives better protection and insulation than any other material in the market. Other than that, this wool also gives better breathability as well as a shining look to whatever items are made using them. Generally, manufacturers make socks using this wool. This is because socks are small garments, and making them using this hard to incorporate wool is not a tedious job. Merino wool is renowned around the globe because its fibers are finer and extra sensitive. Buyers keep searching for these merino wool socks, especially when they are the residents of countries that experience brutal and harsh cold weather. These socks trap heat in the feet better than regular socks hence keeping the feet warmer.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Merino Wool Socks

There are also several grades in the quality of merino wool. According to the quality, the price of socks is decided. High-quality merino wool is expensive and hard to find. Additionally, the diameter of this wool ranges from – 11 microns to 24 microns. Even the most ultra-fine merino wool can be derived from the Merino sheep with the help of selective breeding. This time, we have decided to discuss the main advantages and disadvantages of socks made from Merino wool. We were inspired to do this because there are not many sites that provide this information. However, having this information is extremely important. Hence, let’s start with the discussion –

Merino Wool Socks Advantages

Apart from keeping your feet comfortable, Merino Wool Socks packs a ton of additional advantages that can attract you toward the idea of purchasing them. Let’s learn about seven reasons why you should be looking after the Merino socks –

Soft Nature: The very first property that you can experience with an in-hand feel is its soft nature. It won’t be like any other itchy socks. Merino wool is known for fine fibers and small diameters, which enhances the fabric’s softness. When this kind of fabric is pressed against the skin, it doesn’t penetrate and provides a soft touch to the skin.

Long-lasting if maintained well: No doubt that merino sheep can survive in harsh weather conditions without getting harmed. The whole credit goes to wool because it is highly durable, and it is protecting from the outside. The wool adjusts according to the temperature, which means it is cool in summers and warm during the winter. The durability comes from naturally engineered fleece.

Lightweight: Merino Wool socks are top-notch in terms of comfort, and one of the crucial factors in this list is their lightweight property. Due to the fine fibers, it is easy to make socks thin and light. Having this property means you will never face any problem while wearing shoes, and having a thin layer also means better breathability to your skin.

High Insulation to Feet: Apparently, the single-time use of the socks can help figure out that it is warm during the wintertime. It has natural crimps, which will act as an isolating layer to your skin. Your feet start getting warm, and if you wear the same socks in summers, it will be breathable and provide enough air to your skin. The overall advantage is, you can wear these socks in both weather conditions, summer and winter.

Anti-Microbial and Breathable: Due to the property of keeping bad odor at bay, Merino Wool Socks become a brainer. It has the anti-microbial property to prevent bad bacteria and germs. At the same time, you can find the breathable property of these socks, which will help you find a proper air passage. Your feet never sweat, and you are always in a good-to-go situation.

UV Protector: Well, it might be a less-known fact, but it is undoubtedly a jaw-dropping property as Merino wool is quite effective in reflecting UV rays and preventing your feet from sunburn and other damages. It doesn’t matter that you are on a beach or in the backyard for sunbath, these socks are reliable for your feet, and you can feel the relief.

Easy to Maintain: Last but not least benefit of owning merino wool socks is easier maintenance. You can turn the socks inside out and put it into the washing machine on a gentle cycle. You can use warm as well as cold water to wash these off. There is also no need to add bleach or any kind of hard detergent to clean these off, which ensures better use.

Disadvantages of Merino Wool Socks

The below-mentioned points will shed light on the numerous disadvantages of merino wool socks. They are all briefly mentioned so that every detail is easy to grasp and understand for the reader. If you wish, you can also research all these points separately. Let us start discussing them

It is not that soft: There are many buyers of merino wool socks who claim that they are as soft as satin. However, that is just not the truth. Merino wool is not as soft as cotton, let alone wonder if it is as soft as satin or silk. In fact, the socks may feel prickly to people who have extremely delicate and sensitive skin. If this wool was that soft, manufacturers would probably be making towels from them. However, it is also not as bad as regular wool. We are just saying that it is not as soft as you think it is.

Low durability: When compared to high-quality wool, merino wool indeed does not have the same level of tensile strength and durability. It is also not as durable as synthetic fabrics used in making clothes. Because of this reason, you will never come across pants made using merino wool. Other than that, there are also no shirts made using this wool. If you believe you can wear merino wool socks regularly, then you are probably wrong.

Practical but Plain: Merino wool socks will not become a style statement. They are just meant for the purpose of insulation. There is minimum versatility in these socks, and there are no exceptional and exclusive variants as well. Some people also call merino wool socks to be utterly unstylish. The words that come in mind while looking at the design of merino wool socks typically only include – practical and plain. Designers also find it hard to work with merino wool to transform it into something that will become a statement piece.

It takes a lot of time to dry: Of course, woolen material takes a lot of time to get dried after a wash. But merino wool takes even more time than regular woolen socks. This is because they do not lose moisture easily. They have a hydrophilic nature, which means that they attract and retain water a lot. It takes a lot of time by merino wool socks to give that water away. According to experts, merino wool socks take 40% more time to dry than regular woolen socks. There are also many buyers of these socks who have claimed the same thing.

Animal Cruelty: You can watch many articles and reports on how Merino sheep that give merino wool are badly treated by their owners. The wool is shaved from their coat at times when they need it most during winters. Yes, there are ethical farmers, too, but there are surely not many of them. This practice of being cruel to sheep has also attracted critical attention. With a change in time, we can only hope for such things to stop happening to animals.

High Price: It is not an unknown fact that merino wool socks are costlier than regular socks. Therefore, many people cannot afford to buy them. Hence, these people only end up purchasing regular socks even when they wish to purchase socks made from merino wool. Other than that, even if people are able to afford them once, they won’t be able to buy these socks numerous times a year.

Conclusion

Just like every other winter socks in the market, merino wool socks also have advantages and disadvantages. It only depends on you whether you want to buy them or not. They offer a high amount of insulation and can, therefore, be extremely useful in regions that have frequent snowfall and cold weather. You can go through the options of these socks in the market nearby. However, if you can’t find them there, you can also surf the internet. All you have to do is type in their name in the famous e-com site of your country. Make sure you go through everything in our article to understand these socks in a better way. To end on a positive note, we would like to say that you should buy merino wool socks and have that experience. However, being practical, you should also consider if you can or cannot afford them. Even though there is not a great variety of merino socks in the market, companies are still working to improve these conditions.