Superwash yarn

Superwash yarn contains wool with a superwash treatment that makes it shrink and felt much less during washing than untreated wool. You can machine wash a sweater, socks or a child's hat made from it if the yarn label allows, usually on a low-temperature wool cycle. Here you'll find 100 % superwash merino from Malabrigo and Urth Yarns, sock yarns blending superwash wool with polyamide from Alize and Gusto Wool, and Katia blends with silk or acrylic. Yarn thicknesses range from fine sock yarn for 2 mm needles to Malabrigo Caracol for 9–15 mm needles.

What does superwash mean, and how do you wash superwash yarn?

Superwash is a surface treatment for wool fibres. Untreated wool has tiny scales on its surface that catch on one another in warm water and with friction, causing the knitted fabric to shrink and felt. The superwash treatment smooths these scales or covers them with a thin coating, allowing you to machine wash the finished item if the yarn label permits.

Follow the specific yarn's label for the wash cycle, temperature and drying method, for example a wool cycle at 30 or 40 °C and drying flat. Superwash is a property of wool: acrylic and cotton yarns can also be machine washed, but they do not have a superwash treatment, so you won't find them on this page.

Which superwash yarn should you choose for socks, sweaters and shawls?

• Socks and lightweight shawls: Malabrigo Sock and Mechita, Urth Yarns Uneek Fingering, Harvest Fingering, Monokrom Fingering and 16 Fingering, Gusto Wool Echoes Fingering, Nokta and Carmen for 2.25–3.25 mm needles, and Alize Superwash Comfort and Superwash Artisan for 2–4 mm needles. The Gusto Wool ranges contain 80 % superwash merino and 20 % polyamide, while the Alize ranges contain 75 % superwash wool and 25 % polyamide. This 20–25 % polyamide adds durability to socks.
• Sweaters, scarves and hats: Malabrigo Arroyo for 3.5–4 mm needles, Malabrigo Rios and Seis Cabos for 4–5 mm, Urth Yarns 16 Worsted for 4–5.5 mm, and Malabrigo Washted and Katia Merino Aran for 4.5–5.5 mm. Katia Merino Aran contains 52 % superwash merino and 48 % acrylic.
• Chunky, quick projects: Malabrigo Mecha, Noventa and Vientos for 5.5–8 mm needles, and Malabrigo Caracol for 9–15 mm needles.
• Delicate shawls with a sheen: Katia Silky Lace, made from 80 % extra-fine superwash merino and 20 % silk, for 3–3.5 mm needles.

What is the difference between superwash yarn and merino yarn?

Merino is a type of wool from merino sheep, while superwash is a treatment that can be applied to merino or other sheep's wool. Most yarns on this page are superwash merino, while the Alize sock ranges use superwash sheep's wool. If you're looking for merino regardless of its treatment, take a look at Merino Yarn. You'll find yarns for socks from other brands under Sock Yarn, and the full selection under Knitting Yarn.