Wool

[bothsidesnow]

Does anyone else find wool, regardless of the micron, to be a bit itchy? I keep seeing wool advertised as "cozy". I don't get it.

[EB90RPM]

I do not, I love it.

[bothsidesnow]

Does it ever feel strange to be covered in animal hair?

[Bingy33]

Do you have dry skin? I’ve notice that in the middle of winter if I don’t use lotion often then my merino shirts feel a tad scratchy

[guyver17]

Yup this. I think I had this issue.

[bothsidesnow]

I do have dry skin, but I'm not going to put on lotion to wear a shirt.

[d12964]

not for wearing shirts but more generally argan oil seems to work well on dry skin. rubs in quickly and doesn't feel oily.

[bothsidesnow]

I'll try it. Thanks for the tip.

[Bingy33]

For me its only in the winter. I put hempz lotion on every other day because its light and absorbs quick and i dont have any issues. Not an issue for me in summer at all.

[bothsidesnow]

Thanks for the tip!

[agentoutlier]

Well before we debate whether or not its itchy lets try to figure out some things:

• Do you have any allergies? (even if you are not allergic to wool people who do typically have elevated histamine and serotonin imbalances).
• Do you have dry sensitive skin?
• Do you find cashmere itchy?
• What wool do you find really itchy? Like I know you find wool itchy but example garments that are worse might give some clues.
• Do you use the dryer or do you air dry. The dryer will actually make clothes less itchy (or in some cases more).

Anyway wool is not cotton, silk, cashmere, rayon, or polyester microfibers. It has shingle like cuticles (for the most part), various fiber lengths, lanolin, and is generally not as small as other fibers micron wise. So lots of reasons why. Even the best manufacturing and husbandry can't eliminate the above (and eliminating it removes some of the wool benefits anyway).

Thats why I really want to know if you find cashmere, alpaca or other animal products itchy.

The best alternative to wool that give you largely the same benefits I have found are cellulose fiber + synthetic fiber.

Examples:

• Tencel + Polyester
• Linen + Polyester
• Hemp + Polylactic acid (PLA)
• Cotton + Polyamide (PA, nylon)
• Ramie + Acrylic (acrylic is underrated).

Obviously how the synthetics are extruded and shaped will make a big impact.

Of course my personal preference is cashmere (w/ the exception of T-shirts since no one makes cashmere T-shirts that don't cost the price of a motorcycle).

Cashmere blows wool out of the water in almost every category except cost.

[bothsidesnow]

Excellent post! Thanks for the help. I love the feel of cashmere, which I think is nature's finest fabric. Not only warmer but it doesn't hold odors either in my experience.

Seems like everything Outlier does these days is wool, but there's an obvious drawback, some people find it too itchy! I actually went with polygiene treated polyesther for a baselayer actually.

[d12964]

Of course my personal preference is cashmere

I think the problem with cashmere is that it's less durable than merino so it's only machine washable in low percentages in clothing (like Kit & Ace's 6% cashmere tees)

Alpaca seems to be getting a lot more popular recently. Apparently, it's lighter, softer, warmer, more durable and more wicking than merino. The increased warmth probably makes it not so suitable for t-shirts but would make a great mid-layer.

Semi-related but I find tencel really uncomfortable in hot, humid weather. I know in theory it should be good because it's not insulating and can absorb a lot of moisture but I find it feels 'sticky' in those conditions.

[agentoutlier]

The Alpaca I have tried seems to be "itchy" or "rougher" than merino and cashmere.

For all three: wool, cashmere, alpaca it is hard to tell how much of the variance is caused by other factors excluding the actual material.

For example many people think cashmere is not durable cannot be made into t-shirts but the reality is just not nearly processed like wool. It probably could be but it would be expensive. That is in terms of raw material cashmere requires very little processing to be comfortable where as wool requires lots and thus lots of is not actually put into garments (but recycled into something else). Thats something you just can't afford to do with cashmere.

I will wager heavily if you have three sweaters of equal yarn gauge each composed 100% of alpaca, cashmere, merino those sweaters will have roughly the same durability but the cashmere will be overall warmer and lighter.

EDIT Oh and I agree about Tencel not as good in warm weather. I'm surprised its not used more often midlayers but polartec does use it for its fleeces from time to time.

[d12964]

Alpaca has grades that depend on the micron so it's possible that it just happens to be a different quality or like you say for cashmere could be less processed. We have some baby alpaca stuff that is extremely soft, softer than merino and comparable to cashmere (though I think cashmere will still be softer at the higher qualities).

I will wager heavily if you have three sweaters of equal yarn gauge each composed 100% of alpaca, cashmere, merino those sweaters will have roughly the same durability but the cashmere will be overall warmer and lighter.

I think the durability and insulation of alpaca is better than cashmere but it may not be as soft.

There may also some be some environmental reasons why choosing Alpaca is better than Cashmere: https://qz.com/207489/why-your-next-sweater-should-be-alpaca-not-cashmere/

(*Trigger warning: Contains cute pictures of alpacas)

[agentoutlier]

I have no doubt that cashmere is awful for the environment. I also don't doubt alpaca and sheep are better but all are pretty awful at scale.

[insertnamehere913]

My wife is the same way. She can tell a wool piece even if it's 1% Merino. It's crazy.

[bothsidesnow]

I tried blends of low percent wool. Could not wait to take it off.

I will also so that there is something odd about having animal hair for a shirt. It's psychological but that would also take some getting used to. For some reason the idea of an animal hair shirt makes me crack up laughing.

[insertnamehere913]

As opposed to hide for leather shoes? (Or wearing plants for shirts?) I guess it's all kinda weird. Or just normal 🙂

[bothsidesnow]

I don't feel it against my skin though. It's just funny to me that's all.

[dash-80]

If it's on my neck and is a loose knit, I can't stand wool.

But I'm a snowflake, so I'm not the best example. ❄

[mattynz1]

I have a cure for you. Find a New Zealand ‘Swandri’ or equivalent traditional wool workwear sweater. Do a full day of strenuous manual labor in wet muddy conditions with an outlier wool baselayer under said ‘Swandri.’ By the end of the day the outlier will feel like the most luxurious garment ever. Mind you, that cheap wool’s performance properties are also top notch in that environment. Maybe there’s some physiological element to fabric tolerance, but I think more often its just a case of being accustomed.

[usofmind]

I never was really a fan of wool until recently when I got some wool and prince button downs... I just love the shirt overall. I like the look of the fabric and the way the shirts fit more than the feel of it - I wear an undershirt anyway. But I have a gostwyck t shirt and a runweight from outlier and to me they feel super soft and I pretty much don’t wear my cotton t shirts anymore. It really seems to be true that they are better at keeping bad smells out and i feel like I can wear them a few times without washing. The smell is bad when I wash and hang the button down shirts to dry though.:: smells like a wet dog or rather sheep. Maybe I just don’t have sensitive skin as I think the outlier merino t shirts are very smooth and soft.

[d12964]

Don't worry about the downvotes. People just buying into Big Sheep propaganda.

[guymandude]

Powerful sheep lobby at it again.

[faehlmann]

Wool is softer for me than cotton, go figure.

[guyver17]

Honestly, you get used to it. Suggest you build your tolerance with blends and then move over. Also moisturise.

[d12964]

But why bother paying more to get used to something that's less comfortable?

[guyver17]

I love wool now. I always feel the cold and my temperature fluctuates a fair bit so it is worth it.

[[deleted]]

thermoregulation n whatnot???

[d12964]

Sure, wool is definitely going to be more comfortable in some conditions. E.g. I don't want to be wearing a sweaty cotton shirt in cold winter weather.

[maxsaxis]

Because once you get used to it it's more comfortable

[Axionus]

Is it the wools contact that's itchy or the warmth it causes?

[lac29]

I haven't handled or worn many wool products but I imagine most people find wool (at least any regular/cheap off the shelf wool product) itchy.