Yarn nerds, help please! :)

[Taedareth]

Baby alpaca fiber yarn feels itchy when I press it against my neck. So does merino yarn (Malabrigo and 100 Purewool brands). And regular wool yarn feels very itchy (Cascade). So, clearly I have sensitive skin. But I love the idea of wearing wool hats and scarves. Help?

A book titled Sheepish (by Catherine Friend) mentioned that the way wool is processed (with harsh chemicals) may be the reason it feels so irritating to many people's skin, and that wool in a more natural state feels more comfortable (washed with a gentle soap, not treated with anti-moth chemicals, etc.) Anyone have experience with this? Know of a good source for non-itchy natural wool yarn? :think :heart

[UltraMother]

What you are describing sounds more like texture sensitivity. You might want to check out breed-specific yarns, wool blends, or plant fibers for your yarn.

[Taedareth]

Texture. Hmmmm. They feel very soft in my hands. But against my face or neck they prickle. Happens even with alpaca-silk and wool-acrylic blends. Soft merino is the least prickly, but it's still too much for wearing as a scarf.

What breeds would you recommend?

[Lily]

I have the same issue with my arms. It can feel nice in my hands but rubbing on my arms makes me crazy.

[Iarwain]

Naturally processed wool does feel softer but micron count is a factor. A smaller diameter fiber feel softer to the touch and less itchy than a coarser fiber. Alpaca is generally not itchy on its own but it is often blended with wool for strength and durability. Check your labels if possible to see if it's pure alpaca or a blend.

Merino usually falls between 18 and 24 microns. It is one of the finest wooled breeds though there are some exceptions. According to my fiber nerd book a subset of ultrafine Merino is produced under the trade name Sharlea and has a maximum diameter of 17.5 microns. Dual-coated sheep may have undercoat fiber that is finer than some Merino but it must be separated from the coarse outer coat which may be difficult depending on the breed. Icelandic thel, for example has a micron count of 19-22. (I used to keep Icelandics and am currently in the process of separating and carding a fleece.) Another measurement of the fineness of wool is the Bradford count. In this case higher numbers mean finer fibers. "Fine" wools typically are between 50's and 90's. These numbers should give you something to look for if buying yarn.

You may find it easiest to look for lambswool. Wool is finest at a lamb's first shearing. As they grow older it becomes coarser. Typically what is sold as lambswool includes animals up to 18-24 months of age. This may include some more mature animals with coarser fibers but is usually finer than adult wool of the same breed. I have some Icelandic lambswool sheared from a 5 month old lamb (before the coarser overcoat grew in) that is unbelievably soft but I'm not sharing!

ETA: I got my info from the book In Sheep's Clothing by Nola and Jane Fournier in case anyone's curious. Awesome book.