Merino wool and products made of it: the secret of success

In the wardrobe of every self-respecting modern man should be at least one thing, which would include merino wool. Such products look especially elegant. They do not crumple and are well worn - they do not rub, they do not give any katysh. And also wool from Merino has amazing properties. Which ones? Suffice it to say that it is suitable even for people with hypersensitive skin that do not tolerate woolen clothes. Soft fluffy fleece warms in the most severe frosts and cools in the heat. In this sweater is not terrible and the rain. How is this possible? Read this article and find out more about amazing animals - merino.

Breeding

People knew about the so-called fine-wooled sheep in ancient times. But to purposefully breed them, working selectively to improve the quality of the breed, steel in Spain. Thus, in the 12th century los merinos appeared - fine-wooled Merino sheep. Animals of this breed were smaller than ordinary lambs, therefore, they gave less meat and milk. But their wool was beyond praise. It is twice thinner than that of an ordinary sheep, and is much stronger. In addition, fleece, cut from one merino in a year, weighed about 15 kilograms. And meat and milk breeds gave only 6-7 kg of wool. Historians recognize that the power of the Spanish kingdom in the Middle Ages was held exclusively by the monopoly in the sale of the precious fleece. Merino was valued so highly that the export of a living representative of this breed outside the country was punishable by death.

Violation of monopoly

Quite a few people know that the distribution of Merinos on the planet, and consequently, the reduction in the price of their wool, we owe the battle, called the destruction of the Invincible Armada. In this sea battle, Spain was defeated, its monopoly on the export of wool was broken. The Merinos were first brought to the British Isles. But the local climate, with mild winters and cool rainy summers, was radically different from that prevailing in the highlands of Castile and Leon. Merino wool under such conditions is poorly formed. In the XVIII century it was decided to bring thoroughbred sheep to the newly discovered continent - Australia. The first 70 heads of 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 "aboriginal" kangaroo, has become a visiting card of Australia. In fact, in these two countries there are 155 million sheep of this breed.

What is merino wool

So why did the Spaniards refuse to build a live weight in the breed in their laborious breeding work? Small elegant 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 thickness of the hair of an ordinary sheep is 25-35 microns. And for merinos, this figure is an average of only 16 microns. This means that five streaming strands have the thickness of a human hair! Therefore, such a coat does not cause allergies. Merinos have a flowing fleece with curls. These invisible curls raspushivayut yarn and create an amazing effect of thermal insulation. Products from merino wool do not warm - they protect the body from the effects of the environment. It is said that a freshly brewed egg wrapped in a yarn remains hot, even if placed in a freezer. Similarly, the ice does not melt when exposed to the sun. Therefore, in recent years, very popular Australian felt boots "for all seasons." They warm their feet in winter and do not soar in the summer.

Hygroscopicity and self-cleaning effect

Nature has endowed Merinos with one more feature. Their fleece is able to absorb moisture in an amount of about 30% of its own volume. This clothing does not cool, but, on the contrary, warms. This is due to the special molecular structure of the pile. Merino wool also removes excess moisture outside. We all remember how many inconveniences bring us a sweaty sweaty blanket on hot nights or during illness. Hygroscopic effect of merino yarn helps to avoid these unpleasant sensations. Also fleece, thanks to contained in its composition of lanolin, is able to self-clean. Products from merino yarn should not be washed often, it is enough to shake them well and to air. Also this wool gives a strong material, because the length of one thread is much larger than that of ordinary sheep. Wash the same products in a delicate washing mode with a gentle water temperature.

Merino yarn

The best among specialists is the so-called "summer" wool. She is sheared only from the withers of a sheep. Annually hold auctions "Golden Bale", where at a starting price (450 thousand dollars per centner) sell wool, the thickness of the pile which is 14.5-15 microns. Step below is the rune Extra Fine (very thin). Its width is already 16-17 microns. Also highly regarded is Superfine - 18 microns. Clothes and blankets made of merino wool are light, comfortable, good. Costumes and dresses made from Elite Extrafine yarn look especially elegant. They do not crumple and as if "flow" through the body. The finest wool with a breathable and hygroscopic effect is used for sewing sportswear.