Credit: Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash
What makes Merino wool excel at sports? Superior thermoregulation: the precise temperature and moisture management that active people need to stay cool and comfortable during their pursuits. At the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), we have long promoted Merino wool as a superior fibre for all kinds of uses – sportswear included. Now, a growing number of sports enthusiasts are discovering that Merino wool is the ideal fabric for maintaining comfort and achieving their personal best.
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Science Confirms Merino Wool is the Best for Athletes
Four years ago, Australian Wool Innovation commissioned a study to investigate the dynamic breathability of Merino wool. The results of the study will come as no surprise to the many athletes who already use Merino wool sportswear. Led by North Carolina State University, the research showed that 100% Merino base-layer clothing delivers superior comfort and performance benefits during sports like cycling, rock climbing, hiking and golf.
The key to this superior performance is dynamic breathability, a real-time interaction between a garment and the human body. This is how well your clothing adapts as your body heats up and cools down. When you’re working hard, your shirt needs to offload heat and moisture fast. When you stop to rest, it needs to keep you warm and dry. Wool’s dynamic breathability is like having windows that automatically open wider when it gets hot and partially close when it cools down.
Most fabrics do one or the other well. But wool does both — while keeping the rain out.
Key Findings
Merino wool, the research found, is 96% better at buffering moisture than synthetic fibres such as polyester, and is far superior to any other fibre at maintaining a stable next-to-skin microclimate. This is why Merino wool sports clothing excels at keeping you in your comfort zone, regardless of your activity level.
The study revealed three key findings:
- Merino wool stands out in adapting to real-world conditions: Human trials were conducted on a variety of fabrics in a climate-controlled chamber. All performed similarly in the activity phase. The vital difference was found in the rest phase, when Merino wool outperformed other fibres significantly.
- Merino wool excels at moisture management: Merino wool proved to be far more effective at keeping people dry. This is likely because of the wool fibre’s unique structure, which includes a layer that is hydrophobic on one side and hydrophilic on the other. Merino garments absorb up to one-third of their weight in moisture without even feeling wet.
- Overall thermal advantage: Merino wool keeps the critical layer between the garment and skin drier and more stable during repeated and ongoing activity. As far as moisture absorption is concerned, Merino wool is better than polyester, cotton and viscose.
According to Australian Wool Innovation CEO John Roberts, the critical variable in the study is the equilibrium between activity and recovery.
“With wool’s structure designed by nature to enhance wearer performance, it responds in real time to changing physiological needs. It automatically keeps athletes close to their comfort zone, allowing 100% focus on the challenge – especially in unpredictable and high-output activities, such as cycling or rock climbing, where a base layer is often all they wear,” John explains.
“What this study shows is what athletes have been telling us anecdotally for years: that wool breathes, buffers and performs better across a range of real-world conditions.”
Learn More About the Benefits of Wool
Find out more about how wool can help improve your overall health and home interior by checking out our Wool Fact Sheets here. Invest in this sustainable material today and reap the benefits.
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Monica brings comprehensive textile supply chain expertise, from hands-on collaboration with wool growers on-farm through to apparel design and production. Her deep connection to wool began on her family's sheep farm in Northeast Kansas. She holds an undergraduate degree in Fashion Design and Marketing from Kansas State University and a Master's degree in Animal Science from Angelo State University, where her research concentrated on wool supply chain dynamics.