Caring for your icebreaker merino
icebreaker garments are designed to be easy for you to care for.
Use a normal warm or cool machine wash cycle with regular powder or liquid detergent. Separate light and darks as usual. Don’t use softeners or bleach.
With the exception of socks, hang your garment to dry on the line. You can tumble dry your socks, turned inside out, and on a low heat.
Always clean your garments before storing – this helps prevent odors, stains and build-up of dirt. For best results, store folded rather than hung.
Please read the care instructions on your garment for detailed instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use fabric softener?
We don’t advise it. Using softeners will coat the merino fibers and reduce their natural ability to breathe and regulate moisture and temperature.
Can I put my icebreaker in the dryer?
You can put your socks in the tumble dryer, but other garments are best hung to dry on the washing line.
Can I dry clean my merino?
Some icebreaker merino garments are suitable for dry cleaning. Please check the label tag to see if your garment can be dry cleaned.
Can I iron my merino?
Merino bounces back into shape easily after washing, so you may find that you don’t need to iron your merino at all. Instead let any creases fall out naturally by laying your garment out flat, or hanging it over the back of a chair. However, if you do need to iron use a cool or specific wool setting and turn your garment inside out.
Can I bleach wool prodcuts?
No – chlorine will destroy merino wool fibers, so please keep it away from your icebreaker.
Other care tips
Pilling: How to prevent it and how to treat it
Pilling is a natural process that can occur when shorter fibers are working their way to the surface of the fabric.
The best way to avoid pilling is to wash your new icebreaker garment within three wears.
Garments and odor
The natural ability of merino fibers to absorb and release moisture helps to keep your icebreaker odor-free.
The fibers work this way in our garments the same as they do in the sheep that supply our merino. We strongly recommend that you only wash your garments on a normal cool or warm wash cycle with regular washing powder. Hand washing can enable a residual build-up of perspiration which could contribute to an odor problem.