If you have never worn lightweight merino wool (or as I like to call it year-round merino wool) you may not fully understand the usefulness it offers. We live in an area with four distinct seasons but even with more mild temperatures, this weight of merino is still very beneficial. Due to the thinness it is easy to layer, is perfect for spring and fall temperatures by itself and makes a wonderful, temperature regulating all-season pajama.
My son had been wearing some of Luvmother’s short sleeve merino tees for over a year when I learned that they were expanding their range to include baby sizes. The timing was perfect for my daughter and now they both have been wearing the base layer set often for several months.
Luvmother’s superfine merino wool is manufactured in Canada, Portugal and the United States. Their merino wool is sourced from either certified non-mulesed or ceased-mulesed farms in Australia and New Zealand. Their mill partners encourage sustainable farming practices including environmentally aware processing, “landcare” re-vegetation projects and the creation of nature corridors. Traceability programs are co-ordinated and certified. Their attention to detail is apparent from their packaging and tags to the small features on each garment.
I received a child and baby base layer set, swaddle, and hat in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. (This post may also include some affiliate links for your convenience, click here to read my full disclosure policy)
BABY AND CHILD TEE, LEGGING & HAT:
FIT: I have found that the LuvMother merino runs true to size both for the baby and child sizes. I tried to size up my son’s shirts to get an extra year’s wear from them but the next size was much too big. I did notice the shirts seemed to shrink slightly after the first wash and were not quite as roomy in the torso. The envelope neck on the baby tee makes it very easy to get on and off, the only disadvantage I have seen however, is that the front neckline can also fall down a bit. The fit of the baby knot hat is truly perfection. My daughter has worn it for several months and it has fit well the entire time. The cut is very adaptable to growing heads and I particularly like how it frames her face well and fully covers her ears. I The child size hat is also very adaptable; the extra length allows it to fit various size heads and I have grabbed my sons hat to wear on several occasions. It is double layer, reversible, and the perfect thickness for warmth without overheating if you are active. It also fits perfectly under a bike helmet.
COMFORT: The lightweight merino (170gsm) is thin and soft and can easily be mistaken for a fabric other than wool. My two have have worn it underneath other wool layers, as pajamas and by itself now that the weather has warmed up. I have found it especially helpful for the baby on breezy spring days outside or even playing on the cool floor in the air conditioning. The merino provides a degree of sun protection and makes it the perfect protective yet cool summer garment. The short sleeve shirts are a staple for my son in the warmer months. There are no tags on their clothes and the care instruction labels are attached by lose threads that are easily cut out. (see below picture)
SWADDLE BLANKET: As a 43 inch square the swaddle is very versatile. I have used it as swaddle, nursing cover, blanket, etc. It is the perfect blanket for warm weather napping or cooler weather if doubled up. The contrast stitching around the border is such a nice, subtle feature.
DURABILITY: I haven’t had any signs of wear with the Luvmother merino for over a year of use until just recently when I noticed a good sized hole in my son’s baselayer pants. I am not sure if it caught on something and tore but that is the only issue we have had so far. My daughters merino has been worn and washed many times for months and does not show any signs of wear other than maybe a little less vibrancy in color.
EASE OF CARE: The care instructions are to machine wash warm or cold with like colors and air dry or tumble dry low. I have only hand washed and air dried our merino. The dark colored merino does bleed so be sure to wash with like colors. In regards to washing out EBF (exclusively breastfed baby) stains I have found that a treating with a stain remover and a little time in the sun has completely gotten any yellow stains out. Another benefit to lightweight merino is that is air dries very quickly.
CONCLUSION: A Canadian family owned small business that produces quality ethically sourced and manufactured merino is easy to support. The garments are well designed and comfortable and the attention to detail is apparent. The lightweight merino makes it a versatile year-round option for babies through size 12. Unlike many merino clothes, Luvmother merino does not go through a pilly phase. One thing to consider is that the light colors do allow the cloth diaper patterns to show through (if that bothers you). A great product with excellent customer service, I expect Luvmother to be a part of my children’s minimalist wardrobe for years to come and I have already sized up my daughters set. I’ll end my review with a XX, the same symbol on the back of each Luvmother garment. They say its their sign off that it passes all their quality checks but I like to think of it as a little merino ‘Luv’. XX
Luvmother merino can be purchased on Amazon or directly from their website.
Leave a Reply