Merino Micron

Micron count measures the diameter of a wool fiber; lower microns mean finer, softer, less itchy wool. Merino generally runs 18–24 microns, with "superfine" merino around 17–18.5 feeling smooth even against bare skin, while coarser wools above ~25 microns are the ones that prickle. Fineness costs money and can trade a little durability for softness. On a spec sheet, a stated micron count is a real quality signal and a good predictor of next-to-skin comfort. When a sweater is sold as "merino" without a micron figure, softness is a gamble rather than a spec.