Winterize your home with merino wool blankets
Why merino wool is the softest, warmest fabric for your home this winter
Wool is widely accepted as a fantastic resource for warmth, but did you know that merino wool in particular can keep you extra cosy? Join us for a deep dive into what makes this type of wool so special. It’s a natural fibre boasting a myriad of beneficial properties beyond what ordinary wool offers. As temperatures remain low for the winter, reach for a merino wool blanket or scarf to warm up.
In this guide, you will discover how to embrace the attributes of this special sustainable material, and find the very best merino blankets to bundle up in at home this season.
Read on to find out:
-
What merino wool is
-
Why merino wool is so special
-
How you can use merino wool to stay warm
Keep your home extra cosy this winter by layering up merino wool blankets
What is merino wool?
Think of merino as wool’s more specialist cousin. Yes it’s still cosy, sustainable wool, but it’s wool produced by one particular breed of sheep. Merino sheep, sometimes thought of as the king of sheep, originated in Spain in the Middle Ages and can now be found throughout Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and parts of South America. Their fleece has long been favoured for its superior qualities.
The wool that merino sheep produce is prized for its amazing softness and warmth. It shares all the fantastic properties of regular wool - insulating, durable and hypoallergenic. On top of this, the fibres are especially fine and naturally crimped so they trap extra warmth whilst remaining light and breathable. Its these temperate-regulating abilities in particular mean you will often come across this versatile natural fibre in everything from sleepwear and luxury fashion, to performance sportswear.
Red Supersoft Merino Herringbone Throw, £95.99, and Forest Green Supersoft Merino Herringbone Throw, £95.99, The British Blanket Company
What makes merino wool so special?
Merino wool stands out for its luxurious softness and fantastic warmth, but why does it differ from other wools? The magic of merino wool lies within its fibres. They are some of the very finest, resulting in a greater capacity for trapping body heat and feeling soft on the skin. Merino fibres are wavy so create air pockets, keeping you toasty warm and insulated when you're wearing merino clothing or wrapped in a merino wool blanket. The crimps also make the fabric more flexible. You will notice The British Blanket Company’s merino wool blankets and scarves have beautiful drape.
While it sounds like a merino wool blanket might be bulky with all that warmth inside, but in fact the opposite is true. The superfine fibres and plentiful air pockets make merino wool extremely light, with a greater warmth to weight ratio than other natural blankets.
Smoke Blue Supersoft Merino Herringbone Throw, £95.99, The British Blanket Company
How can you keep warm with merino wool?
As merino wool is super light, you can easily layer up to feel the benefit of all that body heat trapping goodness without feeling weighed down. Try piling on a few different merino wool blankets over your bed or sofa. The other advantage of merino’s extra fine fibres is the way they feel against the skin. They don’t have that prickle factor sometimes associated with wool, making it gentle enough for baby or to be worn close to the face and neck. A wearable blanket wrap in merino allows you to carry the wool’s cosy natural fibre benefits with you all day long. And at night-time, merino’s moisture-wicking and temperature regulating properties are sure to guarantee a good night’s sleep. The British Blanket Company has merino wool blankets in sizes suitable for baby right up to XL which comfortably fits over a king-size bed.
An oversized scarf is like a wearable blanket, wrapping you in soft merino warmth wherever you go
