Merino wool T-shirts, such as those offered by Ortovox, Mons Royale or Icebreaker, are expensive, quite expensive for a 'simple T-shirt'. On the one hand, they fit perfectly into the form of demarcating identity formation for which the term "subtle differences" has been relevant since the 1970s. Only those who know the brands recognise the special nature of the shirts. However, this is not really about the performative contradictions of outdoor culture, but about the functional content of these shirts.
To be honest, I would probably never have bought one at the regular price. But then there was a warehouse sale and a merino shirt found its way into my wardrobe. What can I say: merino shirts are another level. They tend to be warmer than other T-shirts, but have the wool-typical properties of pleasant thermoregulation. What's more, the merino wool makes the shirts so soft that nothing scratches or bites like wool. You hardly need to wash these shirts at all. Airing them out is enough in most cases. However, the routines are often stronger than the analytical realisation, which is why they end up in the wash again and again.
Apart from all the praise, are there any other things that the buyer should look out for? Two things come to mind in this regard. Before buying, if you care about animal welfare, buy wool from animals that don't have to undergo mulesing. (More details have already been discussed at PG here). After purchase, it is best to use the wool wash cycle to enjoy the shirts for as long as possible. Thanks to special treatment, some of the shirts can also be washed with normal detergent - a look at the laundry label is never wrong and will hopefully clarify things.
All in all, I can no longer imagine everyday life and travelling without merino shirts, which have largely pushed their cotton rivals to the back of the pack.
PS: If anyone has a second-hand shop for merino shirts, please get in touch with me.
