17.5 micron merino wool, 100%
23 stitches X 30 rows = 4”/10cm on US #4 needles
Sport / 5 ply/(12 wpi)
3.20 yards per gram
130.00 yards required for one square foot (knit to gauge in stockinette)

DARWIN’s 17.5 micron merino wool, rare and almost cashmere grade, was spun for us in an Italian cashmere mill. Micron count indicates how soft a yarn can be. Most commercial merino wool is 20-23 microns, which is quite good. DARWIN feels better than many cashmere products.

Good wool becomes a great yarn only if it is well spun. At this degree of fineness special equipment is required, designed to run more slowly, or the fibers will be damaged by processing. That’s where Italy’s tradition of cashmere processing is so essential.

Googling around online we found one sporting goods company that makes a “base layer” t-shirt out of 17.5 micron merino. The price is $80! We think DARWIN is something special and, even with all the wool out there, is worth your attention. Below is general information about merino from Treehugger.com:

Merino Wool is exceedingly warm for its weight. The extra fine fibres harbour an abundance of miniscule ‘scales’, which trap air, one of the best insulators. But more than that, wool generates heat when wet, so unlike cotton, it does not chill the skin while absorbing perspiration or rain. Wool can absorb upwards of 30% of its own weight in moisture before even beginning to feel damp. And merino, being a much finer fibre than the wool of olden days, has a greater surface area, so it can dry faster too. These attributes combined with it’s inherent antibactercial properties lend merino an amazing ability to ward off body odour, even after prolonged wear. Nor does it itch like wool of yore. (Most wool prickle comes from fibres which are about 30 or more microns 0.030 millimetres in diameter, whereas quality fine merino is about 20 microns. It is possible to get ultrafine merino down to about 11.5 microns.) (www.treehugger.com, 2/25/09)

Price per yard dyed: $0.06
Price per yard undyed: $0.04