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About Wool

Wool fibre facts & benefits

Merino wool is famous worldwide for its next-to-skin softness, strength, innate versatility and technical benefits. Merino wool's versatility extends from luxury fashion to high-performance activewear, accessories, homewares and everything in between.


Properties of wool


100% natural
Wool is 100% natural grown year-round by Australia’s 68 million sheep, consuming a simple blend of water, air, sunshine and grass.

100% biodegradable

100% renewable

Wrinkle resistant


Naturally breathable


lemlem x The Woolmark Company

Warm and cool

Odour resistant

Soft on skin

Naturally elastic

Easy to care for

Stain resistant
Wool for workouts

Wool is the most reused and recycled fibre

Fire resistant

UV resistant


Where does Merino wool get its supernatural benefits?



Fibre diameter
Fibre diameter refers to the ‘thickness’ of the fibre. Fine fibres bend easily, making them soft. Thick fibres bend less easily, making them resilient. Fine yarns and fabrics are used to make clothes. Thicker yarns can be used to make carpets.

Cuticle scales
Cuticle scales are tiny overlapping scales, which surround the wool fibre. If untreated during processing the cuticle scales can cause wool to felt and become thicker and more hairy during washing. Moisture vapour penetrates beneath the scales, allowing the fibre to 'breathe'.
Ortho-cortex and para-cortex
The ortho-cortex and para-cortex cells form the core of the wool fibre. The arrangement of the cells causes the ‘crimp’ (wave) in the wool fibre and traps air (providing insulation), which produces wool fabrics that keep us warm during winter.

Cell membrane complex
The cell membrane complex surrounds each strand of internal cortex cells (fibrils). It holds fibrils together and absorbs colour, allowing wool products to achieve deep vibrant colours, which don’t fade.

Microfibril and Macrofibril
The cortical cells are made up of macrofibrils and microfibrils. The material binding these fibrils is often called the ‘matrix’ material.

The matrix consists of high-sulphur proteins. It absorbs moisture to resist static and burning, delivering cleaner and safer clothing and carpets.
Alpha helix
The protein chains that form the helical coil are the smallest parts of the wool fibre. They give wool its flexibility, elasticity and resilience, which delivers easy-to-live with, durable and wrinkle-resistant products.

The epicuticle is one of the outer cuticle cell layers, on the surface of the wool fibre. It repels liquids and resists abrasion, which gives the fibre its stain and water resistance, making it easier to clean.

Why is Merino wool so soft?

Why is Merino wool so soft?

Australian Merino wool is the world’s finest and softest wool in the world. Its natural benefits are so great that no other fibre - natural or man-made - can match it.

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Wool is good for your skin

Wool is good for your skin

Science has shown that wearing superfine Merino wool significantly improves the severity and symptoms chronic skin conditions, with medical experts also finding wool is not an allergen.

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Meet the woolgrowers

Meet the woolgrowers

These are the people who grow your clothes. Their passion, dedication and commitment, woven together to produce the world’s best wool. 

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<h3 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #ffffff;"><strong>The world&rsquo;s most versatile fibre</strong></span></h3>

The world’s most versatile fibre