I Tested Ibex’s Merino Wool Underwear and It Passed With Flying Colors, Even During a Heat Wave

My fascination with merino wool did not start with products. It started with a weekend in a family–owned wool farm outside of Melbourne, Australia. A friend was studying factors influencing wool quality, and she needed help with shearing about 200 sheep while also collecting merino wool samples for her research. It was hard work, well rewarded by homemade meals and one of the most interesting experiences with animals of my life. I could see how sheep were treated ethically and were very well-cared-for by the family. Many of the sheep had proper names and the family knew their personalities well. Most of the time, the sheep just wandered across large swaths of land, minding their own business. The shearing process, which took place twice a year, was designed to disturb the animals as little as possible.

Now, why merino wool underwear? I had heard from my colleagues that merino shirts stayed “clean” after wearing them for 12 days while traveling, and that Ibex Merino wool outdoor clothing was some of the best in the market and basically never stank – even after extensive outdoor recreating and long travel days. So when I learned that Ibex made merino wool underwear, I got extremely curious. Would it actually be odorless? Would it be itchy? How would it perform on cold and hot days? Here is my experience testing both the Natural Thong ($30) and Natural Bikini bottom ($35), plus the Essentials Racerback ($65) and Cami ($60) shirts, in the Patagonian winter and the European summer (including a heat wave in Madrid).

We hope you love Ibex merino wool underwear! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to make a purchase.

Is merino wool underwear itchy? hand holding ibex merino wool underwear

I found Ibex’s merino wool thong to be soft and not itchy at all. Photo: Debbie Gonzalez Canada

This was my very first concern, because I have sensitive skin and regular wool can be itchy for me. In my experience, Ibex’s merino wool underwear was never itchy, regardless of the weather, the layers of clothing I had, or the activities I was engaged in. The fabric felt as soft as cotton on my skin. Friends who tried other brands of merino wool did tell me they found it itchy, so bear that in mind: the brand does matter here.

The odorless promise (how long you can wear the underwear and the shirts) woman in ibex racerback shirt

The Ibex Racerback shirt is ideal for long travel days. Photo: Ibex

Ibex’s bikini/thong and racerback/cami claim to be breathable and help with odor control, thermal regulation, and moisture-wicking. My experience with the products supports these claims, even under the recent European heat wave, making the price tag of merino wool underwear worth it.

In terms of odor control, the underwear and shirts perform as well as cotton, but they are better than cotton when it comes to moisture-wicking and breathability. No, I didn’t wear the underwear for 12 days like my colleague did with his merino shirt, but I could easily wear my racerback and the cami shirts for a week or more, if I have to. I do prefer to wear the merino wool bikini and thong for a normal period of time over other, more artificial fabrics (note, however, that the underwear is 83% merino wool, but it includes a bit of nylon and elastane for a tight fit).

The choice between bikinis and thongs is a personal one, and I found both to be comfortable, true to size and form-fitting. In terms of colors, I got the anthracite bikini and cami shirt (anthracite is a purple-grey-blue shade), a silver grey thong, and a black racerback, and I loved all of them. When I sweated with the shirts, though they dried quickly, the sweat was visible with the anthracite color, but not with the black racerback. The final test was that I took a Lindy Hop dance class on a summer day in Madrid, and the black racerback didn’t stink and didn’t show any sign of sweating.

How sustainable is Ibex’s merino wool? And how to make it last longer ibex merino wool underwear hanging on clothes line

Hanging merino wool products in a line, Spanish style. Photo: Debbie Gonzalez Canada

I care deeply about sustainability and animal welfare. I had the opportunity to ask people at Ibex about this topic, and they assured me that they work hard on what they call “No-Bullshit Sustainability.” That extends to Ibex’s textile sourcing from Australia and New Zealand, where animal welfare has high standards, which coincides with my own experience in the Australian sheep farm. Ibex is also conscious about packaging choices, shipping methodologies, and scientifically-led carbon-offsets, among other efforts.

Plus, there’s the sustainability of the material itself, which is made to be durable, but when the end comes… merino wool is fully backyard compostable! This is important, as textile waste is a huge issue around the world.

Speaking of making it durable, here go a few recommendations to make your merino wool products last:

How to wash merino wool:

Following Ibex’s instructions, merino wool can be washed on a normal warm or cool machine cycle with regular detergent. Interestingly, the brand says that “Hand washing can enable a residual build-up of perspiration which could contribute to an odor problem” (plus, I despise having to hand wash stuff).It is important to avoid using softeners and bleach. The softener is the enemy of any piece of clothing that has a stretchy quality.Also, do not tumble dry the items. Even inside and in the shade, the underwear and shirts dried quickly every time I washed them.There is no need to iron the items, and it is actually better not to do that.

Does merino wool shrink? I didn’t notice any shrinking, but I followed the washing instructions, and so should you to make the products last.

Is Ibex merino wool underwear worth it? woman in ibex cami shirt

The writer would wear the Ibex Cami for a week straight – if she had to. Photo: Ibex

Though Ibex’s merino wool underwear and shirts can be more expensive than similar products in cotton and other fabrics, I found them to be worth the price tag because of the thermal regulation and moisture-wicking properties (which is a lot of jargon to say, you want your underwear dry when you are outdoors and exercising). To make your money and the natural resources count, make sure you follow the care instructions.