OUR MATERIALS
MERINO WOOL SOCKS
Nothing feels like Merino Wool does against your skin. Regarded as one of the worlds softest fibres, it is most suited for luxury clothing. We use Merino Wool to create a sock that delivers a luxurious blend of style and comfort.
Luxurious Merino Wool
Sustainable
Temperature Regulating
Australian Merino Wool
We're proud to say that all Swanky Socks™ are made with the finest quality of Australian Merino Wool. The Merino wool that comes from Australia is some of the softest in the world; the natural fibres from Australian Merino wool are unmatched to any other natural wool fibres. We are proud to be an Australian company and because of this, it is only right we use Australian Merino Wool.
What Is Merino Wool
Merino Wool is a type of wool extracted from the breeds of sheep called Merino. With over 200 different breeds of sheep, Merino sheep wool is renowned for its fine, soft wool and their ability to survive in the harshest of climates. The Merino sheep were originally from Spain but have migrated across the globe to countries such as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. Merino wool is suited towards high-performance and luxury clothing, due to its features of breathability, quality, softness and versatility - There isn’t any other wool that feels the same and looks the same as Merino wool. Today’s Merino wool has come a long way from being itchy, thick and coarse to now becoming smooth, luxuriously and functional and this is due to many benefits of the material.
How is Wool Made
Step One: Shearing the Merino Wool
The production of Merino Wool starts with shearing the sheep. The shred wool fleece is then sorted based on the quality of the wool and fibres gathered from different parts of the sheep body. The wool is then scoured with a range of different cleaning products that include water, soap and alkalis to remove any dirt, grease and sand that may be on the Merino wool.
Step Two: Carding
The fibres from the Merino Wool are now in a tangled form and lumped together. The process of carding now occurs.
Here the wool passes through a machine that separates the Merino wool fibres into groups to form a wool top to allow the spinning process to begin.
Step 3: Spinning
The spinning process of Merino wool is completed to allow the wool to strengthen and increase in length. During this process the wool thread is spun to join all the fibres together to form one strand of yarn.
Step 4: Weaving Process
During the weaving process of the Merino wool the fabrics are formed on a machine called a loom, and here the interlacing pieces of Merino wool yarn are stretched under tension so the material can be weaved.
Merino Wool Socks Benefits
Merino wool helps regulate your body temperature; the fibres contents are constructed with anti-bacterial and moisture-wicking components making it the softest wool material to wear all year round in any climate. Here are the main benefits of wearing Merino wool socks.
Merino sheep typically get their wool shorn twice a year and the process involves absolutely no pain for the animals. Merino wool is one of the only materials that is naturally 100% ecological and because of this the fabric isn't required to be as frequently washed as other clothing materials.
Due to the Merino wool fine fibres, it means it is much lighter than any other wool, making it very light and comfortable for feet.
Merino wool is renowned for being the world's softest wool fabric; the fibres of the wool are smaller compared to other material; this allows it to be more flexible when softly pressing against the skin, eliminating itchiness.
The Merino sheep survive extreme harsh weather conditions, and due to this the sheep fleece has had to adapt, making it very tough and durable. Even though Merino sheep wool is lightweight, keeping them cool for the summer, the Merino sheep grow an extra layer of wool as a base coat to protect them against cold winter temperatures.
Merino wool fibres are temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking making them very comfortable in a variety of climate conditions. The moisture-wicking fibres wick sweat away from your skin by absorbing the sweat and wicking it to the outside of your socks.