You know that at Happy Belly we believe what we wear doesn't just dress us, it also looks after us. That's why we work with fibres that are as natural as possible. When we decided to knit a haramaki, we tried several options, and the one that behaved best around the waist was merino wool. It's soft and light, keeps you warm without ever feeling heavy, and has something that won us over: it stretches and settles back into place, as if it had a memory. Here's what we've learned about it over these months.
A fibre with a past
The merino sheep is ours in the most literal sense, because it was born on the Iberian Peninsula in the Middle Ages. Its name may come from the Marinids, the North African dynasty that brought flocks to the peninsula, although historians don't agree.
For centuries, the flocks of the Mesta crossed Castile from north to south following the pastures. Their wool was so fine and so prized across Europe that Spain guarded it like treasure: taking a merino sheep out of the kingdom was strictly forbidden and harshly punished.
But the secret couldn't last forever, and in 1765 merino sheep travelled to Saxony as a royal gift. Then, in 1786, to France, where Louis XVI founded the Rambouillet flock. By the end of the century they had reached South Africa and, from there, Australia, which became their great home in the 19th century. Today much of the world's merino flock grazes in Australia and New Zealand, on the other side of the planet, but its story began very close to here.
What “extra-fine” means
Wool fineness is measured in microns, which are thousandths of a millimetre: the thickness of each fibre. The finer it is, the softer and more supple it feels. If you had a jumper that itched as a child, the culprit was thick, stiff fibres that scratched your skin instead of bending.
Merino is already fine to begin with. To be called extra-fine, The Woolmark Company requires the fibre to measure 19.5 microns or less on average. To give you an idea, a human hair is several times thicker.
That's why it's so gentle on the skin, and why we wanted it for our haramaki, which is often worn under your clothes, close to your body all day long.
What we love about it
Besides its softness, there are other qualities you'll notice straight away in everyday wear.
It keeps you warm without overheating. The crimp in the fibre traps air, so you feel comfortable out in the cold and also when you step into a heated room. It's a good companion for these changes in temperature.
It absorbs moisture and releases it little by little, without that damp chill other fabrics leave against your skin. And it's slow to pick up odours: airing it for a while between wears is usually enough to make it feel fresh again. So you wash it less, and it lasts longer.
Calling it light doesn't do it justice! It weighs very little for how warm it is. That's why it works so well for small pieces you wear all winter long, like haramakis, mittens, beanies or neck warmers.
Sheep grow a new fleece every year, and when a wool garment reaches the end of its life, the fibre returns to the earth. That doesn't happen with synthetics.
And finally there's its elasticity, so surprising that it made up our minds.
Merino and rib knit: the hug that stretches
Each merino fibre has a natural crimp that works like a tiny spring. You stretch it, and it comes back.
A haramaki faces a very specific challenge: to hug the waist without squeezing, and to keep doing so wear after wear. In knitwear, the usual answer is to add elastane. We wanted to see if wool could do it on its own.
We found the answer after countless trials: it was rib knit, the stitch that alternates columns of knit and purl and that you know from the cuffs of jumpers. At rest, the columns gather like an accordion; when you stretch them, they open up. Add the crimp of merino and you get a fabric that adapts to your body and recovers its shape.
That's how our new haramaki was born: 100% extra-fine merino wool, with no elastane or any other fibre, nothing but pure wool. It follows your curves and hugs you without squeezing.
The Woolmark label: what it guarantees
Woolmark is probably the best-known wool label in the world, and you've surely seen its distinctive symbol on cardigans and jumpers. It has been managed by The Woolmark Company since 1964 and certifies quality: that it is new wool and that the yarn or fabric passes laboratory tests.
Our yarn carries the Merino Extra Fine version. This means it's pure new wool, with no blends, spun for the first time rather than recycled from other garments, and that the fibre measures 19.5 microns or less. It's also OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, which means the yarn is tested for substances harmful to health.
How to care for it so it lasts
A well-cared-for merino garment will keep you company for many winters. The big secret is to wash it as little as possible.
- After wearing it, let it air for a few hours, laid out flat.
- When it's time to wash it, it's best done by hand, in cold water with a mild, neutral soap.
- Don't use bleach or the tumble dryer.
- Dry it flat, without wringing, so the rib keeps its shape.
- If needed, iron it on a low setting.
Merino wool in our collection
For now, we offer merino wool pieces in two lines.
The new Merino Wool Haramaki is our 100% merino rib knit, with a tonal trim at the waist. It comes in four timeless colours: Navy Blue, Bottle Green, Burgundy and Chestnut Brown.
The Fuji Merino Collection is inspired by the landscapes of Japan. Besides the haramaki, it includes mittens, beanies and neck warmers, all knitted seamlessly in RWS-certified extra-fine merino, a standard that guarantees animal welfare in how the wool is obtained.
There's no great mystery to sizing: because the rib knit gives, just choose your usual size. If in doubt, check our Size Guide. And if this is your first haramaki, start with what is a haramaki.
Try Merino Wool, a fiber that originated here, has traveled halfway around the world, and feels like a soft hug.
Sources
- The Woolmark Company, History
- The Woolmark Company, Especificación Merino Extrafine (AK-2)
- OEKO-TEX, OEKO-TEX® STANDARD 100
- Textile Exchange, Responsible Wool Standard (RWS)
- R. Sabatino López, El origen de la oveja merina (1954), Biblioteca del Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación
- Wikipedia, Merino
