There should be at least one thing in the wardrobe of every self-respecting modern person, which would include merino wool. Such products look especially elegant. They do not crumple and are well worn - do not rub, do not give pellets. And merino wool has amazing properties. Which ones? It is enough to say that it is suitable even for those people with hypersensitive skin who cannot tolerate woolen clothes. Soft fluffy fleece warms in the most severe frosts and cools in the heat. In such a sweater, rain is not terrible. How is this possible? Read this article and learn more about amazing animals - merino.
Breed selection
People knew about the so-called fine-fleece sheep in ancient times. But purposefully to breed them, selectively working to improve the quality of the breed, steel in Spain. So, in the XII century, los merinos - fine-fleeced merino sheep were born. Animals of this breed were smaller than ordinary lambs, therefore, gave less meat and milk. But their coat was beyond praise. It is twice thinner than an ordinary sheep, and much stronger. In addition, the fleece cut from one merino per year weighed about 15 kilograms. And meat and milk breeds gave only 6-7 kg of wool. Historians acknowledge that the power of the Spanish kingdom in the Middle Ages rested solely on a monopoly in the sale of the precious rune. Merino was valued so highly that the removal of a living representative of this breed outside the country was punishable by death.
Violation of monopoly
Quite few people know that the spread of merino on the planet, and therefore the reduction in the price of their wool, we owe the battle, called the death of the Invincible Armada. In this naval battle Spain was defeated, its monopoly on the export of wool was broken. Merino was first brought to the British Isles. But the climate there, with mild winters and cool rainy summers, was fundamentally different from that prevailing on the highlands of Castile and Leon. Merino wool under these conditions is poorly formed. In the XVIII century, it was decided to bring thoroughbred sheep to the recently discovered continent - Australia. The first 70 cattle arrived there in 1788. The climate of the Green Continent, as well as New Zealand, was the most suitable. Photo merino, along with the "native" kangaroo, has become a hallmark of Australia. Indeed, now in these two countries there are 155 million sheep of this breed.
What is merino wool
So why did the Spaniards refuse to build live weight in the breed in their painstaking breeding work? Small graceful lambs carry a huge, but light fleece. And its amount - 15 kg per year - is not the main indicator. The main advantage is quality. Merino wool consists of thin, soft and long (15-20 cm) fibers. For comparison: the hair thickness of an ordinary sheep is 25-35 microns. And for merinos, this figure averages only 16 microns. This means that five streaming threads have the thickness of a human hair! Therefore, this coat does not cause allergies. Merinos have a flowing fleece with curls. These invisible curls fluff yarn and create an amazing thermal insulation effect. Products made of merino wool do not warm - they protect the body from the effects of the external environment. A freshly-boiled egg wrapped in yarn is said to remain hot, even if placed in a freezer. Similarly, ice does not melt when exposed to the sun. Therefore, Australian boots “for all seasons” have been very popular lately. They warm their feet in winter and do not soar in summer.
Hygroscopicity and self-cleaning effect
Nature bestowed merino another feature. Their fleece is able to absorb moisture in an amount of about 30% of its own volume. At the same time, the clothes do not cool, but, on the contrary, warm. This is due to the special molecular structure of the pile. Merino wool also removes excess moisture to the outside. We all remember how much inconvenience a sweat-damped blanket brings us in stuffy nights or during illness. The hygroscopic effect of merino yarn avoids these unpleasant sensations. Also, the fleece, thanks to the lanolin contained in its composition, is able to self-clean. Products made from merino yarn should not be washed often; just shake and ventilate them well. Also, this wool gives a durable material, because the length of one thread is much longer than that of ordinary sheep. It is necessary to wash the products in the delicate washing mode with gentle water temperature.
Merino Yarn
The so-called “summer” wool is considered to be the best among specialists. Sheared only with the withers of a sheep. Every year they hold Golden Bale auctions, where wool is sold at a starting price ($ 450 thousand per centner), the pile thickness of which is 14.5-15 microns. The Extra Fine fleece (especially thin) stands a step below. Its width is already 16-17 microns. Superfine is also much appreciated - 18 microns. Clothes and blankets from merino wool are light, comfortable, sound. Costumes and dresses made from elite yarn Extrafine look particularly elegant. They do not wrinkle and, as it were, “flow” through the body. The finest wool with a breathable and hygroscopic effect is used for sewing sportswear.