WOOL FACTSWOOL IS GOOD
FOR THE SKIN
Recently published research has demonstrated thatwearing superfine Merino wool next to the skin is beneficial
for eczema sufferers. This adds to a growing number of
research findings supporting the wellbeing benefits of superfine
Merino wool. The research has shown that wearing superfine
Merino wool significantly improves the severity and symptomsof this chronic skin condition, challenging misconceptions
that all wool is prickly and itchy.

WHAT IS ECZEMA
Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is an inflammatory condition where the skin becomes dry,leading to cracking, bacterial infection, redness and itching. Eczema affects up to 28% of
infants with increasing prevalence in many parts of the world. The most common treatments
currently include the regular application of non-cosmetic moisturisers and topical steroids to reduce
inflammation, as well as antibiotics to address bacterial infection.

WOOL IS BENEFICIAL FOR ECZEMA SUFFERERS
Whether it’s hot, cold, humid or dry, garments made from
Merino wool are the most breathable compared withgarments made from most common apparel fibre types.
Wool can absorb and release twice as much moisturevapour as cotton and 30 times as much as polyester.
When worn next to the skin, wool works to buffer thedynamic micro-climate between the fabric and theskin, helping to stabilise the humidity and temperature.
It appears that wool acts like a second skin.

Eczema sufferers have especially sensitive skin andan Australian study at the Murdoch Children’s ResearchInstitute has shown that wool garments made from softsuperfine Merino wool garments were well tolerated
by participants in the study and reduced their eczema
symptoms. (Note: the garments must have a mean fibre
diameter of 17.5 micron or finer.)
MOISTURE VAPOUR UPTAKE

Wool acts
as a buffer(humidity andtemperature)
Moisturevapour

Atmosphere

WATER VAPOUR UPTAKE (%)

40WoolCottonNylon

Polyester

60

80

30

20

100Skinric
FabFigure 1: Wool works to buffer the dynamic micro-climate between
the fabric and the skin.

02040100

RELATIVE HUMIDITY (%)

Figure 2: Moisture vapour uptake of wool and other fibres showing
how wool is one of the best of the common apparel fibres.

WOOL IS GOOD FOR THE SKINDERMATOLOGY TRIALS SHOW REDUCTION IN ECZEMA SYMPTOMSIn positive news for eczema sufferers, three recent dermatology trials have shown that infant, adolescent and adult eczema sufferers
have reported reduced symptoms when wearing superfine Merino wool garments next to the skin.

STUDY 1: “WOOL CLOTHING RECOMMENDED FOR
INFANTS WITH ECZEMA” (MCRI, MELBOURNE)
The theory that superfine Merino wool worn next to the skin
could benefit eczema sufferers was put to the test in this study
led by Associate Professor John Su at Murdoch Children’sResearch Institute.

A study of adolescent and adult sufferers of eczema in Brisbane,
led by Dr Lynda Spelman at the Queensland Institute of Dermatology(QIDerm), has also demonstrated the beneficial effects of wearing
superfine Merino wool next to the skin.

The study showed that superfine Merino wool clothing reduced
the severity of paediatric mild-moderate atopic dermatitis ascompared to cotton clothing.
The graph below shows the reduction in eczema symptoms over a
six-week period while wearing wool clothing and the subsequent
increase in symptoms on resuming cotton clothing.
Published in the British Journal of Dermatology, this study
challenges the misconception that all wool is to be avoided
by children with eczema. The study concluded that traditional
management guidelines classing all wool-based clothing as
irritants should be modified to include superfine Merino wool asa recommended clothing choice in childhood atopic dermatitis.

WOOL vs COTTON
16Wearing wool

Wearing cotton
13.5

Eczema severity

13.4
12

11.6
10.3
8.1

8

4

02

46
Time in weeks

Wool

Cotton10128

STUDY 2: SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTIONS INSYMPTOMS FOR ADOLESCENTS AND ADULTS
WITH ECZEMA (QIDERM, BRISBANE)

Figure 3: Determining effects of superfine sheep wool ininfantile eczema.

WOOL IS NOT AN ALLERGEN
A highly esteemed group of medical professionals from acrossthe world has reviewed research papers published during thepast 100 years to critically assess scientific studies claiming
wool causes allergy. The group has now published a paper
Debunking the Myth of Wool Allergy with the primary conclusion
there is no credible evidence wool is an allergen. It found that if afabric does cause sensations of itch and prickle on the skin thenit is because of the large diameter of the fibres and not due tothe fibre type being wool.

Published in the Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, thestudy concluded superfine Merino wool base-layer garments
could provide a valuable adjunct therapy in the management ofatopic dermatitis.
“We have seen substantial reductions in skin dryness, redness
and itchiness, and in the measured area of inflammation,” said
Dr Spelman.

STUDY 3: SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS
SEEN IN MEAN ECZEMA AREA AND SEVERITYINDEX SCORES (DIVISION OF DERMATOLOGY,UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, USA)A study of child and adult sufferers of eczema by the Divisionof Dermatology, University of Louisville, Kentucky has also
demonstrated the beneficial effects of wearing superfine Merinowool next to the skin.
The study, published in the medical journal Dermatitis and led
by Professor Joe Fowler, confirmed that wearing Merino wool
clothing compared to standard clothing provided improvements
in severity of atopic dermatitis as well as quality of life in atopic
dermatitis patients.
“This study and those of Professor John Su and Dr Lynda Spelman
show that fine-diameter Merino wool clothing should be considered
acceptable for people with eczema and seems to be therapeutic
to patients with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis,” Professor
Fowler said.

Superfine/ultrafine Merino fibres

Coarse fibres (ie. acrylic, nylon, wool)

Sensitive
Nerve
Endings

Sensitive
Nerve
Endings

FabricProtruding
fibresHuman
Skin

Superfine/ultrafine Merino fibres
bend easily, causing minimal or noskin irritation.

Protruding
fibresHuman
Skin

Coarse fibres have less tendency
to bend, causing skin irritation.

Figure 4: Superfine versus coarse fibres.

WOOLMARK.COMFabric

WOOL IS GOOD FOR THE SKIN

Watch now to discover the therapeutic
benefits of superfine Merino wool.
youtube.com/thewoolmarkcompany

REFERENCES
Eczema effects up to 28% of infants with increasing prevalence inmany parts of the world:

Eczema (DESSINE): a randomized paediatric cross over study, British
Journal of Dermatology, 2017, 177, p132.

–– Draaisma E. et al. A multinational study to compare prevalenceof atopic dermatitis in the first year of life, Paediatric Allergy andImmunology, 2015, pp 359 – 366

Figure 3: Determining Effects of Superfine Sheep wool in infantile
Eczema: J.C. Su et al. Determining Effects of Superfine Sheep woolin INfantile Eczema (DESSINE): a randomized paediatric cross overstudy, British Journal of Dermatology, 2017, 177, p131.

–– Williams H. Atopic Dermatitis. N Eng J Med 2005;352: pp2314–2324.
–– Asher M, et al. Worldwide time trends in the prevalence ofsymptoms of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema inchildhood: ISAAC Phases One and Three repeat multicountry
cross-sectional surveys. Lancet 2006;368: pp733–743.
–– Weidinger S, Novak N. Atopic dermatitis. Lancet 2016;387:
pp 1109–1122.
Figure 2: Moisture vapour uptake of wool and other fibres showing
how wool is one of the best of the common apparel fibres:–– Rae and R. Bruce, The Wira Textile Data book, Leeds: The WoolIndustries Research Association, 1973, A64–– Speakman J. B & Cooper C. A. The Adsorption of Water byWool, Part I – Adsorption Hysteresis, Journal of the Textile
Institute Transactions, 1936 27:7, T183-T185.
–– Urquhart, Alexander Robert B.Sc., A.I.C. and Williams,Alexander Mitchell M.A., D.Sc. The effect of temperature on theabsorption of water by soda boiled cotton, Journal of the Textile
Institute Transactions, 1924, 15:12.
Wool garments are the most breathable of the common appareltypes: A. Rae and R. Bruce, The Wira Textile Data book, Leeds: The
Wool Industries Research Association, 1973, A64.
Wool can absorb and release twice as much moisture vapour as
cotton and thirty times as much as polyester: A. Rae and R. Bruce:
The Wira Textile Data book, Leeds. The Wool Industries ResearchAssociation, 1973, pp 64 – 72.
Superfine Merino wool clothing reduced the severity of paediatricmild-moderate Atopic Dermatitis as compared to cotton clothing:
J.C. Su et al. Determining Effects of Superfine Sheep wool in INfantile
Eczema (DESSINE): a randomized paediatric cross over study, British
Journal of Dermatology, 2017, p 132.
The study concluded that traditional management guidelines
should be modified to include superfine merino wool as arecommended clothing choice in childhood Atopic Dermatitis: J.C.
Su et al. Determining Effects of Superfine Sheep wool in INfantile

WOOLMARK.COM© June 2019 The Woolmark Company Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. GD2405

The study, led by Dr Lynda Spelman of QIDerm, concluded thatthat superfine merino wool baselayer garments provide a valuable
adjunct therapy in the management of Atopic Dermatitis: L.J.
Spelman et al. An Investigator Blinded, Clinical Trial Assessing theEfficacy of Superfine Merino Wool Base Layer Garments (SMWBG) in
Children with Atopic Dermatitis (AD) Measuring SCORAD, EASI, POEM
and DSA Scores, Biomedical Journal of Scientific and TechnicalResearch, 2018.
We have seen substantial reductions in skin dryness, redness anditchiness, and in the measured area of inflammation: Personalcommunication, 2015, Dr. L. Spelman, Queensland Institute ofDermatology/Australian Wool Innovation.
A study of children and adult sufferers of eczema by the Divisionof Dermatology, University of Louisville, Kentucky has also
demonstrated the beneficial effects of wearing superfine Merinowool next to the skin: Fowler J. et al. The Effects of Merino Woolon Atopic Dermatitis Using Clinical, Quality of Life, and Physiological
Outcome Measures, Dermatitis, 2019.
The study, led by Professor Joe Fowler of the Division ofDermatology, confirmed that wearing Merino wool clothingcompared to standard clothing provided improvements in severityof atopic dermatitis as well as quality of life in atopic patients:
Fowler J. et al. The Effects of Merino Wool on Atopic Dermatitis
Using Clinical, Quality of Life, and Physiological Outcome Measures,
Dermatitis, 2019, 3, p204.
Professor Fowler said: "This study and those of Professor JohnSu and Dr Lynda Spelman show that fine-diameter Merino wool
clothing should be considered acceptable for people with eczemaand seems to be therapeutic to patients with mild to moderate
atopic dermatitis.": Fowler J. et al. The Effects of Merino Wool on
Atopic Dermatitis Using Clinical, Quality of Life, and Physiological
Outcome Measures, Dermatitis, 2019, 3, p204
The group has now published a paper “Debunking the Mythof Wool Allergy” with the primary conclusion that there is no
credible evidence wool is an allergen: Michaela Zallmann et al.
Debunking the Myth of Wool Allergy: Reviewing the Evidence forImmune and Non-immune Cutaneous Reactions, Acta Dermato
Verereologica, 2017.