Merino wool is merino wool… or is it?
Not all merino wool is equal. Fineness, processing, weight and origin determine how soft, how durable and how animal-friendly a garment truly is — and you rarely see those differences on the label. At Lille Barn we make conscious choices for baby skin and for the world your child grows up in.
The fineness of the fibre (micron)
Merino wool is graded by fineness, measured in micron: the lower the number, the finer and softer the fibre. Roughly, this ranges from sturdier merino (± 23–24.5 micron) to ultrafine (± 11.5–15 micron). For most people the comfort threshold lies around 18–19 micron — below that, hardly anyone still feels any itch.
Baby skin is thin and sensitive, so we don't want scratch or itch. That's why we deliberately choose high-quality merino wool. Anyone familiar with our products will have noticed that they are softer than other brands. We control the chain from sheep to garment and use only superfine or ultra fine merino wool.
Treated or untreated?
Wool fibres have microscopic scales that can felt and shrink. A superwash or EXP treatment makes the wool machine-washable and shape-retaining. The downside: its natural moisture- and odour-regulating ability and its resilience decrease.
Want to know more? Read our in-depth article Superwash vs. untreated wool.
Superwash is not our preference. The extra care needed to look after untreated wool is minimal, certainly once you are used to wool. We choose to keep the product as pure as possible without an extra superwash treatment. We would rather avoid unnecessary chemicals and plastics.
The weight of the fabric (gsm)
Fabric weight is expressed in grams per square metre (gsm). With cheap clothing the labour is often more expensive than the fabric, but with quality merino the weight largely determines the price. That's why a larger size sometimes costs more: there is simply more wool in it.
For our products we use fabric of at least 200 gsm. The fabric is usually in the range of 205 - 210 gsm. We find this the best thickness for woollen baby clothing to be comfortable all year round and of good quality.
Mulesing — why origin matters
Mulesing is a painful procedure in which skin around the rear of a sheep is cut away to prevent fly larvae (flystrike). In many countries this is not done or is not permitted — New Zealand was the first to ban it. But in Australia, where most merino wool comes from, that is not the case.
Want to know more? Read our article What is mulesing and why you don't want it.
Here we are strict. All our wool is mulesing-free, and we don't leave that to chance: for every batch we request a signed declaration from our supplier. We are a small brand and cannot check everywhere on-site ourselves. That's why we always work with the same trusted supplier. This supplier is RWS certified and we are working on certification to close the whole chain.
Certifications — and where we stand
Certifications help you as a parent to make a good assessment. The best-known ones for wool and children's clothing are:
All our fabrics are Oeko-Tex certified, because safety for baby skin comes first for us. Some of our products also carry Woolmark, and we are currently in the process for RWS certification. Honestly? We have mixed feelings about certifications. We actually already do everything right and consciously buy certified wool — and yet you suddenly have to pay quite a lot to be allowed to carry such a logo. At the same time we get it: as a parent you want certainty, and a certification helps you make that assessment. That's why we invest in it anyway — for you.
How we see it
For us, merino wool is not a trend but a conscious choice for the smallest. We make in small batches, without seasons and without sales — rather a little too few than waste. Our clothing is made to be passed on, not to be thrown away: reinforced at the seams, packaged without plastic, and with wool whose origin we know.
We are small and don't pretend to be perfect. But everything we make, we make with care — for your child, and for the world it grows up in.
Feel the difference yourself
Conscious choices, soft wool, honest prices. Discover our merino collection for the littlest ones — made to wear, to cherish and to pass on.