merino more itchy over time?

All my merino stuff seems to be getting softer over the years. I use woolite and cashmere soaps. If you take good care of it merino wears well.

Drusilla,
thanks but it seems you are commenting on the softness of the merino items that are offered from year to year.

But I am asking about MY PARTICULAR shirt I just bought. Does anyone know if it will get more itch/scratchy with time/laundering?

thanks,

Bill D

Hi I saw the advice given on washing merino wool. I will add my 2 cents to that:
1. Many top loading washers will put holes in wool. That agitator does that. I don't even trust frront loaders
2. I hand wash, usually WITHOUT soap. My expensive merino deserves this. Soap doesn't do much to mask the wet wool aroma, which I like.

RE: Itching: I have had Smartwool and now have Icebreaker merino wool shirts. None have gotten itchy. I've never had Patagucci merino. If my merino shirt was itchy, I'd take it back for an exchange for a different lot number or brand.

good luck.

it would seem the only person that knows about YOUR PARTICULAR shirt is you.

what brand is? how many microns is the wool fibre? etc

Pataguchi… microns? Unknown.

Bill D

From other threads, reports show a minority of folks find merino itchy no matter what. It isn't "itchless" for everyone. Yet those who don't feel the itch, claim it's itchless for everyone, because it is for them. Sorry, can't help you with the "more" part of your question. If it were mine, and it itched, I'd return it while it was still new(ish).

It will not Bill, in fact it will may likely get LESS itchy after a few washings! What you are probably feeling is not the merino, but the sizing used to make it easier to knit the fabric. While sizing is washed about after the manufacture of the fabric, some remains which will wash out after a few washings. The remaining sizing washes out and the wool will be softer after the first few of washings.

It will not get itchier with time or remaining washings.

Jim

Thanks Jim… exactly what I wanted to hear… but, tell me… what do you mean by the word 'sizing' ??? It seems you are not referring to the size as in S M L of the shirt?

thanks,

Bill D

My merino is aging nicely.

-Max

Actually, Patagucci merino is NOT 100% merino wool (like Icebreaker, Smartwool, etc.); rather it is a mix of merino and nylon (for durability). Perhaps it's the nylon that feels scratchy to you…maybe you'd prefer a 100% wool version?

Use gentle detergents and watch the dryer heat. IMHO, dryers do a lot of damage to technical fabrics. Low heat is the rule. I wash all our synthetics and wool socks, etc in a separate load and dry them at low heat with dryer sheet/softener.

Yes. The Pataguchi Merino says 80% merino and 20% Polyester on the collar… on the tag it says 20% Capiline fiber blend..

As to which is feeling scratch… hard to say… but it's not bad… and I'd keep it if I'm pretty sure it won't get worse.

thanks

Bill D

Sizing is a chemical mix that is added to yarns to strengthen the fibers to reduce breakage while they're being woven into fabrics. You never really know how good of a wash the textile producer or the garments maker gives the fabric so you might have some residue of the sizing in your shirt.

Also I wouldn't use fabric softener with wool or technical fabrics, since it 'softens' again by coating the fibers with chemicals designed to lubricate and reduce the static build up. This coating will potentially interfere with the desired natural or engineered properties of the fibers you wanted in the first place.

Yea… I would rather jump off a cliff than use fabric softener.
I am chemically sensitive and the smell of fabric softener is one of the worst… good for a 3 day migraine… ugh. I can't stand even going into a house where it is used or standing next to someone with it on their cloths… the idea of it being on MY cloths is an idea to burn those cloths!

Bill D