Merino Wool Shirts

It won't itch at all after you wash it.

Washing all different ways, machine and by hand, inside-out and rightside-out, never made the oh-so-slight but still noticeable itch of merino (Patagonia, SmartWool, Ibex) go away. Fortunately, my merino socks and underwear never itched at all, so I can wear those quite comfortaby. The whole wool-is-itchty (or not) thing is a matter of personal physiology, so just buy from a store with a good return policy.

There is merino wool and there is merino wool…
Wool itch is not a problem with me but in general the finer the wool the lesser the itch.(the end of each wool fiber poking into your skin causes the itch ) Merino wool can be 23 micron all the way down to around 17 as used in the outdoor industry (even finer for the top of the range Italian?Japanese suits)
People that have tried different brands generally recommend Icebreaker to be the least itchy, but keep in mind that different grade of wool is also used within the same brand.
Franco
BTW after the first wash, I don't believe that it will get softer but that you get used to it. Next time you are in a shop feel Icebreaker….

I just wanted to put my two cents worth in this. I hike, bike, and lounge in merino boxers, shirts, jerseys, socks, etc. I don't think you can beat it. I HAVE found that one really needs to buy the right blend, and that ultra fine merino is softer than standard merino products. I agree about the bamboo shirts, retain too much moisture. That is my favorite thing about merino. It wicks moisture away better than ANYTHING else. I started a hike at 95 degrees the other day, sweat my *ss off for 6 hours, got to the top and hit 56 degrees and all my buddies were beginning to chill because they were soaked. Not me! FYI, I buy my merino items at http://www.merinogear.com. I like the "comparison shopping". It has a bunch of brands from different stores compared on one listing. Anyway, great website.

I found the Patagonia tops to be much softer than the Icebreaker ones.

If you can get the BPL merino, I think you'll be very happy. I have had the same problem all my life, but bought a BPL merino top for my son. I never gave it to him…it was so soft and itch free it felt like silk to me. It's my staple hiking baselayer now.

Sometimes the fabric dye is the culprit and not the fabric itself, so I would recommend washing it. Other times residual soap left on the garment because of an over-stuffed washer or inadequate spin cycle can cause an itch. Both cases are exacerbated by sensitive skin, so give your shirt a thorough wash and I'm betting that you'll end up keeping it. Happy trails.

WOW. I just realised this thead is a year old.

"so give your shirt a thorough wash and I'm betting that you'll end up keeping it. "

Ummm, depends. Some people are just really really sensitive to wool fibre. It's not something that you can wash out. I live in the land of wool, and haven't found any weave or blend that I can wear (other than the BPL stuff). I'm such a mis-fit :( I mean how silly is this? I bought a shirt that was made of NZ wool, manufatcured in Fiji, and shipped from USA back to NZ. I wish I could get the equivalent fabrics locally.

Merino Itch, great name for an Emo Band.