Mohair and Merino: What Makes These Natural Fibres So Good for Socks?

If you’ve spent any time looking through our socks, you may have noticed that we offer two different fibre blends.

Some are made with mohair and nylon. Others combine mohair, merino wool and nylon.

So what’s the difference? Is one warmer? Why does one feel a little bulkier? And if these are natural-fibre socks, why is there nylon in them at all?

There’s actually more going on inside a pair of socks than you might think.

What makes mohair so good for socks?

Mohair comes from the Angora goat and has some pretty remarkable qualities for a natural fibre.

One of the big ones is warmth without a lot of bulk. Mohair is an excellent insulator, so you don’t need a particularly thick sock to keep your feet warm.

That can be especially useful inside shoes and boots. A thicker sock takes up more room, and if your footwear becomes too snug, you can actually make it harder to keep your feet warm.

Mohair also manages moisture well and is remarkably durable. That combination of warmth, moisture management and durability makes it particularly well suited to something that gets as much wear as a pair of socks.

If you’ve read our post about why fibre matters more than thickness when choosing warm socks, this is a good example of exactly what we mean.

What does merino bring to the mix?

Merino wool is another excellent natural fibre for socks. It’s soft, warm, breathable and good at managing moisture.

It also behaves a little differently from mohair.

Our socks that combine mohair and merino tend to feel a little fuller and bulkier than our mohair and nylon styles. Merino has more loft, so the finished sock has a slightly more substantial feel.

If your idea of a great warm sock is something cozy and substantial on your foot, the mohair and merino blend may actually be the one you prefer. If you want warmth with as little bulk as possible, you may lean toward the mohair and nylon styles instead.

There’s also a practical reason for the blend. Mohair is an expensive fibre, and its price has increased considerably over time. Combining mohair with merino allows for a more affordable sock while still using two natural fibres with excellent properties for warmth and comfort.

So why is there nylon in them?

This is where the percentages on the label don’t tell the whole story.

Yes, our socks contain nylon. But the nylon isn’t there to provide the warmth or comfort.

Think of it as the stretchy skeleton of the sock.

It provides structure, stretch and durability and helps the sock keep its shape. The part doing the insulating against your foot is different.

Turn one of our socks inside out and you’ll see all those little loops of fibre covering the inside (as shown in the photo above). Those are the thermal loops, and they’re made from 100% natural fibre.

Depending on the style, those loops are either mohair or a blend of mohair and merino wool.

Those natural-fibre loops are what sit against your skin and create that insulating layer around your foot. The nylon is doing an important job in the background, giving the sock the stretchy framework that holds everything together.

Is mohair better than merino?

We don’t really think that’s the right question.

They’re different fibres, and both have qualities that make them very good for socks.

Our mohair and nylon styles give you the distinctive benefits of mohair, including plenty of warmth without a lot of bulk. They’re a good choice if you want a warm sock that doesn’t feel particularly heavy or take up a lot of room inside your footwear.

Our mohair, merino and nylon styles have a fuller, slightly bulkier feel. If you like a more substantial sock, particularly for lounging around the house or wearing in roomier footwear, you may prefer the extra loft of the blend.

The merino blend also comes at a more accessible price point because merino is less costly than mohair.