Merino fabric information

The Sleep Store highly recommends using merino fabric for your baby and children's nightwear. The wonderful properties of merino are becoming more widely known and many children are now sleeping better as a result.

We have sourced the following information about this wonder fibre!

Care of merino fabric:

Our thanks to Mokopuna merino for this excellent information about caring for your gorgeous Mokopuna merino garments!

• Turn garment inside out to wash and dry
• Wash dark colours separately
• Allow 5% shrinkage
• Machine wash 40°C max, gentle wool cycle, or hand wash
• Use wool approved detergent
• Gentle machine spin dry
• Do not use bleach, nappy cleansing agents, garment brighteners or fabric softeners
• Do not soak or spot clean
• Dry flat away from direct sunlight
• May be tumble dried - low heat
• May be dry cleaned

Our Lily (cream) merino garments are particularly susceptible to yellowing if exposed to sunlight. Please follow our washing instructions carefully.

mokopuna merino™ and The Sleep Store do not take any responsibility for damaged garments due to incorrect washing detergents or procedures.

Merino stain removal

Thanks to Mokopuna for this handy information about to get all possible stains out of your Mokopuna merino garments!

Note:
Rubbing in order to remove the stain may cause pilling, deterioration and discolouration of the fabric.

Ink removal

Useful Facts on New Zealand Merino

Merino fibre is measured in micron. Merino fibre ranges from 13-24 micron which when you compare this with the average piece of human hair which is 60 micron then you realise just how fine Merino is. The smaller the mircon, the finer the fibre.

There are approximately 700 Merino growers in New Zealand producing on average 8,000 ton of Merino fibre annually. The major market for New Zealand Merino is Europe followed by Asia, USA and New Zealand.

When man was created there was one fundamental flaw; a body that was ill equipped to live in the world's varied climatic conditions. So man had to use his intellect and develop body coverings to protect himself from the harsh environment. This need has created the world's vast textile industry. Today in the modern world clothing is a huge part of our lives and is basically an outward continuation of our skin. Ideally, then, it should be as natural, close fitting and comfortable as our skin, and it should protect us against external influences of all kinds - mechanical shock friction and abrasive forces, heat and cold, rain, sun and wind.

There are now a myriad of fabrics one can choose from made from a selection of fibres. However there is only one that was designed by nature to protect the human body from the environment yet at the same time, be in harmonious unison with it. It has been around for centuries; it's Merino - nature's wonder fibre.

Why Wear Merino?
 

Looks better for longer

New Zealand Merino is measurably longer and stronger than other Merino suppliers, therefore garment are more durable and retain its smooth soft surface for longer as a result. The longer fibres give a more even appearance to the yarn, which consequently, is less likely to pill.

Oh so soft

Customers quickly discover New Zealand Merino garments to be exceptionally soft. People invariably touch the fibre again and again, enjoying its soft luxurious handle. The garments are sensuously comfortable against the skin - the fine fibre causes no irritation or prickle.

Exceptional colour

Fashion trends for light, natural and pastel colours require an original fibre of clear, clean whiteness. New Zealand Merino outscores all other Merino when tested for brightness and whiteness. This characteristic dramatically increases the colour choices-from natural to vibrant designer shades - while at the same time providing excellent colour retention and sharpness.

Merino the super absorber

Merino is a hydroscopic fibre. This means it's capable of absorbing moisture vapour from the environment while at the same time repelling liquids. That's unique to Merino.

In technical terms Merino can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture before it starts to feel damp. Its regain factor (the amount of water in the fibre expressed as a percentage of its dry weight) is 17 percent under standard conditions, compared to between 1-4 % for synthetic fibres.

The natural ability to absorb and desorb water vapour contributes to Merino's excellent comfort performance as an apparel fibre and makes it very useful for children who may become wet in the night or swaety if they get too hot.

Warm without weight - year round

Because Merino fibres are so fine and light it is an ideal fibre for year round wear.

Even when air is cold or damp, a molecular process called 'heat of sorption' releases heat, which can be felt by the garment wearer. All fibres do this, but Merino does it four times as much as nylon and at least double this for polyester.

The natural crimp of a Merino fibre enables it to trap air effectively, thus insulating the body from the cold.

For the wearer of a Merino garment, the Merino creates its own microclimate around the body acting as a buffer against changing conditions and maintaining higher comfort levels.

Because Merino fibre breathes with the wearer it means there is no unpleasant 'clammy' sensation and Merino garments can be worn in warm or cool weather. Synthetic fibres don't have this ability, which is why they don't score as well for comfort.

Odour resistance

Merino naturally resists the build up of odour. As a result Merino garments don't need washing as often or as vigorously as synthetics and keep looking good for longer.

Many extreme athletes with long term uses for clothing have reported far less odour build-up using Merino clothing, than with man made fibres, especially close to the skin.

This characteristic is very useful for baby and children's garments. merino sleeping bags usually need very little washing, just air them out on the side of the cot regularly. Merino nightwear can be used for much longer than cotton nightwear before it needs washing, although your children will love their merino so much it's likely they will still be wearing it at breakfast time!

Wrinkle and wrinkle recovery

Because of its natural crimp, Merino is highly resilient - in fact, it can be bent 30,000 times without danger of breaking or damage. This natural elasticity means its 'wrinkle recovery rate' is exceptional especially in a moist environment like a shower room; wrinkles in a Merino garment will hang out readily. Garments made from New Zealand Merino require little if any ironing, which makes it ideal for travelling.

It means your children's merino garments look great wear after wear. Particularly our extremely high quality Mokopuna merino (100% NZ merino) stays looking like new and lasts incredibly well.

Resistance to static electricity

An annoying consequence of static electricity build up in textile garments is the clinging of a garment to the body. The natural fibres such as Merino and cotton are relatively free of static problems because their chemical structures and water-sorbing properties make them good conductors. This resistance to static electricity also means that garments don't rustle with movement so they are quieter to wear....perfect for sleeping!!

Safety

The least flammable of fibres, Merino is self extinguishing in the event of a fire therefore it is the safest fibre to have next to your body.

The scientific reasons for Merino's fire resistance lie in its unique chemical composition and its high water absorption.

Importantly for wearers of Merino garments, Merino doesn't melt if it comes into contact with flame - unlike most synthetics, Merino won't melt and stick to the skin causing more trauma to the affected area.

Soiling

Merino also naturally resists soiling. The synthetic fibres being oil based tend to attract and retain oily soils. Washing, wearing and dry-cleaning of synthetics leads to a phenomenon called greying, which is caused by soil build up and absorption of oil contaminants into the chemical structure of the fibre, particularly during dry-cleaning. A further advantage of Merino is that when a garment is soiled the natural water repellent surface allows time for the spills to be wiped away before they cause permanent staining.

Natural/renewable fibre

Merino leaves a very light footprint on the planet - it's a renewable resource and involves a natural growth process of converting grass into fibre, in pollution free factories. It's also recyclable and bio-degradable.
Compare this with synthetic fibres, which are made from a non renewable resource and involves the conversion of oil into fibre.

Our thanks to NZ Merino for this very useful information.

View our Merino Clothing!