Australian sheep breeders succeed in debunking the myth of wool as an allergen

Merino wool is now officially safe for people with asthma and eczema.

Australian Wool Innovation funded a long-term study to protect the wool of Merino sheep. The findings have led the international certification body Allergy Standards Limited to officially recognize bedding made from merino wool as safe for people suffering from asthma and allergies.

AWI's Fiber Advocacy Program Manager, Angus Ireland, said the endorsement of merino wool was a direct result of investment in research done on behalf of Australian wool producers.

“Gathering evidence that wool is not an allergen was the first step in overcoming the misconception that people with eczema or even people with sensitive skin should not wear or come into contact with ultra-fine wool items. The second goal is to achieve widespread acceptance of the results among allergists, dermatologists and physicians - and so it's great to see bodies like ASL now classify merino wool as healthy. As a result, we want to see an increase in consumer demand for products made with Australian merino wool,” he said.

Australia produces 80 percent of the world's supply of ultra-fine merino wool with a diameter of no more than 18.5 microns.

“A recent report reviewing the literature on the subject states that a coarse fiber diameter (>30-32 microns) causes skin irritation that is not seen with finer merino wool. The effects of merino wool garments on the HEALTH of patients with atopic dermatitis have also recently been studied in several clinical trials conducted in Australia and the US,” Ireland said.

Conducted by an expert panel of allergists, immunologists and dermatologists from around the world, the pivotal study analyzed the results of the last 100 years of scientific work to evaluate wool allergenic claims. An analysis published under the title "Debunking the Wool Allergy Myth" found no evidence of this.

According to AWI, scientists have found that any skin irritation caused by fabric is due to the fact that coarse fibers (i.e. large diameter fibers) protrude from the fabric, and this cause does not depend on the type of fiber, that is, the wool here nothing to do with.

Skin irritation can be caused by both coarse synthetic fibers such as acrylic and nylon and coarse wool fibers.

it is important to note that well-chosen items made of high-quality merino wool, on the contrary, are good for sensitive skin: the fibers of extra-fine wool are easily bent, causing minimal or no skin irritation.

The study also showed that known allergens used during textile processing are currently minimally present in wool products, given current industry practice, and are unlikely to cause allergic reactions.

What's more, modern superfine merino wool with a reduced fiber diameter helps treat eczema.