Hello. I'm Hiroki, a new staff member at OLENO.
In order to become a wool master, I have studied the quality and bad qualities of wool and the existence of merino wool, which is the highest grade of wool, over the past few years.
I thought I was pretty safe when it came to wool, but the other day I found out about a new type of wool called "super extra fine merino wool." It's all in English and it's exhausting.
In short, just like humans, Merino wool has a hierarchy, and super extra fine Merino wool is apparently the highest grade.
So, this time I would like to briefly summarize what I have researched about the differences between each grade of merino wool.
The difference is in the fineness of the fibers
Merino wool is classified according to the thickness of the fibre; apparently the finer the fibre, the higher the grade.
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Rank
|
Fiber thickness (μm)
|
|
Super Extra Fine Merino
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Diameter 16.5-17.5
|
|
Extra Fine Merino
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Diameter 18.5-19.5
|
|
Fine Merino
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Diameter 20-21
|
|
Middle Merino
|
Diameter 20-22
|
|
Strong Merino
|
Diameter 23-25 |
Generally, wool finer than 19μm (microns) is considered high-quality wool (noble), and the thinner it is, the more difficult it is to process (the more difficult it is to win someone's heart), and the more expensive it is.
What's good about being thin?
In the world of wool, the finer the material, the more luxurious it is said to be, but what is so good about it being fine in the first place?
Here's a question: what do you imagine when you hear the term "luxury muffler"?
You're probably thinking of a cashmere scarf.
In fact, the reason cashmere is considered luxurious is because its fibers are incredibly fine, measuring 14 to 16 microns. If you've ever worn a cashmere scarf, you'll know that its fineness gives it smoothness and elasticity, as well as a delicate, rich color and subtle luster (although this is also due to the characteristics of the material).
In other words, thinner fibers make the fabric feel better against the skin and reduce the discomfort of itchiness. Also, because the fibers are thinner and softer, they can be knitted with a higher stitch density, which means the thickness of the fabric can be adjusted.
I looked into other benefits as well, but there aren't many differences among merino wools, and perhaps the biggest difference is in the feel against the skin.
The thinner it is, the better the insulation.
Wool itself is considered to be a fiber with high thermal insulation properties, but merino wool in particular has fine fibers that make it difficult for heat to escape, making it even more insulating.
The disadvantages are pretty much the same in the merino wool world.
Super extra fine merino wool is a superior variety of merino wool, but its disadvantages are considered to be the same as those of other grades.
I have already introduced it in a previous article, so I will just give a brief introduction here.
Insect bites are common
● Requires delicate handling, such as washing
●The price is relatively high
What is the actual price difference?
So, how different is the lower grade of merino wool from super extra fine merino?
I did a comparison on the world-famous Rakuten site.
The prices vary greatly depending on the brand, so these are just reference values, but the difference was roughly 4 to 8 times!
It's an astonishing difference, as you'd expect from the highest grade.
If it's just a muffler, the price is still manageable, so be sure to check it out.
By the way, this is really just a side note,
OLENO also has products made from super extra fine merino wool.
It's the OLENO neck sleeve, which received a huge response on the crowdfunding site Makuake.
It was commercialized before I joined the company, so I didn't know the details, but it seems to have received quite high praise (pretty or rather, very high praise), so I definitely recommend checking out the product website!
Goodbye scarves. Hello neck sleeves.
Thank you for reading to the end this time as well.
