So I hear this question a lot - why isn't O-Wool softer?

Well... I'll tell you.

O-Wool is minimally processed. Unlike almost all of the other luxuriously soft merinos on the market, O-Wool does not use chemical softeners. Just google chemical softener - you'll get all sorts of long, scary words that you don't want in your yarn or next to your skin.

How can you make O-Wool softer?

Well, first, it will soften with wear. The wool will absorb back some oils from your skin, and get a tiny halo of softness just from handling the yarn, knitting with it, and wearing your finished item.

Second, wash it! I recommend Soak Wash because they share our environmentally friendly mission (from their website: Soak is environmentally friendly. It is biodegradable and packaged in recyclable bottles which are printed with water-based inks). O-Wool Balance can be put in the washing machine on a cold, gentle cycle and will fluff up to create a soft, plush fabric - I recommend putting it in a lingerie bag to protect it... just in case. All the other 100% wool yarns can be hand washed with a gentle detergent in a cold bath with a little agitation. Some of the vegetable based spinning oils come out of the yarn during the dye process, but the rest will come out when you wash it, so don't be afraid - the softness will be revealed!