Happy Friday!

Merino wool. Super chunky, Giant knit, Jumbo knit Merino wool. It became very popular in Europe the last couple years.  It has come to American market recently and it is gaining popularity despite the price and bulkiness. In fact, the thicker super chunky Merino wool is - the more desirable it is! 

So, WHY Merino? What is so special about this wool that makes it incredibly popular nowadays? 

First of all, super chunky Merino wool yarn technically is roving. Let`s see what Wikipedia definition of roving is: "A roving is a long and narrow bundle of fiber. Rovings are produced during the process of making spun yarn from wool fleece, raw cotton, or other fibers. Their main use is as fiber prepared for spinning, but they may also be used for specialized kinds of knitting or other textile arts". And this is the key phrase: BeCozi is doing specialized, giant knitting with Australian Merino wool roving.

Now when we have realized what material is used for BeCozi products, let`s look at the qualities of Merino wool as described by Woolmark USA: The secret to Australian Merino wool's softness is its exceptionally fine fibers.

SOFT

Merino fibers are extremely fine, enabling them to bend far more than traditional, coarser wool fibers. This makes Merino wool feel soft and luxuriously gentle next to your skin

ELASTIC

Natural elasticity helps Merino wool garments stretch with you, yet return to their original shape. So Merino wool clothing is ideal to wear when exercising.

BREATHABLE

Merino fibers can absorb large quantities of moisture vapor then move it away to evaporate into the air. So Merino wool clothing is extremely breathable and less prone to clamminess.

WARM AND COOL

In contrast to synthetics, Merino is an active fiber that reacts to changes in body temperature. So it helps you stay warm when the weather is cold, and cool when the weather is hot.

STATIC RESISTANT

Because Merino wool can absorb moisture vapor, it tends not to create static electricity, helping it to drape beautifully and be less likely to cling uncomfortably to your body than other fabrics.

ODOR RESISTANT

In contrast to synthetics, Merino wool can absorb moisture vapor which means less sweat on your body. Merino wool even absorbs the odors from sweat, which are then released during washing.

STAIN RESISTANT

Merino fibers have a natural protective outer layer that prevents stains from being absorbed. And because Merino wool tends not to generate static, it attracts less dust and lint.

ANTI-WRINKLE

At microscopic level, each Merino fiber is like a coiled spring that returns to its natural shape after being bent. This gives Merino garments a natural resistance to wrinkles.

FIRE RESISTANT

You are safer with Merino wool because it is flame retardant and doesn't melt or stick to the skin.

A NATURAL BARRIER TO UV

Merino wool is much better at protecting you from UV radiation than most synthetics and cotton. 

HEALTHY

Merino wool regulates body temperature and heart rate to so that it actually improves sleep.

Natural

Merino wool is grown year-round by Australia's 70 million Merino sheep, consuming a simple blend of water, air, sunshine and grass.

BIODEGRADABLE

When Merino fiber is disposed of, it will naturally decompose in soil in a matter of years, slowly releasing valuable nutrients back into the earth.

RENEWABLE

Every year Australian Merino sheep produce a new fleece, making Merino wool a completely renewable fiber source.

If you decide to try giant knitting with amazing Merino wool roving, you need to learn some specifics of this process: Merino wool roving is extremely soft and can be broken if pulled hard. Knitting with Merino wool is different from knitting/crocheting with any other yarns: it should be unwound and placed in pile in front of you giving you easy access to the wool. Knitting with Merino wool roving should be loose, this way you prevent breaking it down and your finished product will look gorgeous. It might break down during the knitting process; it is normal and does not mean that it is bad quality wool.  A simple knot should be made and you can continue the knitting process.

A product knitted/crocheted from Merino wool roving is a piece of Art; it is intended for gentle use.  Merino wool is soft, gentle and delicate and also a little prone to shedding, it may show some signs of being loved over time.  Due to the nature of Merino roving, flyaways and pilling are normal.  You can trim away the loose flyaways with scissors but pulling on them is not recommended.

Dry cleaning is recommended but any product made from Merino wool can also be washed. 

Make sure your woolen item really needs to be washed.  Unlike cotton and man-made materials, Merino wool does not need to be washed frequently - even wool socks can be worn many times between washing if allowed to be aired out between wearing them.  Don't assume your wool blanket or any other item needs to be washed just because you are used to washing things after wearing them once!  Get used to gently spot-cleaning and airing woolens and you will be amazed at how well they last with very little care.

If you decide to wash your Merino wool product, the best way to do it - to let it soak in a cold water in a bathtub for couple hours. Only a very tiny amount of wool friendly soap needed.

Wash in bathtub by soaking and squishing being careful not to rub the wool against itself or it will felt.  Basically heat, agitation, and detergent are the enemies of wool, so aim to soak and rinse the dirt out. The good news is, wool is extremely easy to clean with just water.

We hope you will enjoy using amazing Merino wool yarn and products as much as we do. Merino wool will bring a lot of fun and joy into your life.

Thank you everybody who subscribed to BeCozi YouTube channel! We now have 200 subscribers and our name is on the link as it is allowed to channels with 150 and more subscribers only. A new video tutorial will be posted there today, check it out!

Stay warm and BeCozi!