11 | 10 | US
BABY SLEEP SACKS RESEARCH REPORT
Scientific Research Proves...
Merino Sleep Sacks Best for Baby.
New scientific research findings
released by AgResearch, New
Zealand’s largest national Crown
Research Institute, indicate that
baby sleep sacks made from
natural merino wool are better at
maintaining a baby’s comfort and
wellbeing compared with synthetic
polar fleece sleep sacks.
The scientific study compared the Merino Kids
merino wool baby sleep sack with the most widelyused polar fleece baby sleep sack and found that
the Merino Kids sleep sack had 80 times higher
moisture vapor absorption. The scientists concluded
that babies sleeping in the Merino Kids merino
sleep sack are less likely to overheat, and less likely
to become damp or chilled.
Baby sleep sacks are worn over sleepwear and
take the place of blankets. They have been tested
and used for more than 25 years and today it is
estimated that eight out of ten babies in the UK
sleep in baby sleep sacks. The popularity of baby
sleep sacks is spreading across the United States as
more and more health professionals recommend
that infants sleep in baby sleep sacks instead of
blankets to reduce their risk of Sudden Infant Death
Syndrome (SIDS).
SIDS is the leading cause of death for babies one
month to one year of age. Every year in the United
States, more than 2,300 otherwise healthy babies
die suddenly and unexpectedly from SIDS. A recent
international study published in the medical journal
Pediatrics concluded that 25 percent of SIDS babies
were found with their head covered. The American
Academy of Pediatrics advocates the use of baby
sleep sacks as a safer alternative to loose bedding
which can cover a baby’s head.
Many parents choose sleep sacks made from polar
fleece to keep their baby warm in the absence
of blankets. Overheating is also a SIDS risk factor
according to the American Academy of Pediatrics
and some parents report that polar fleece sleep
sacks made their babies hot and sweaty.
Until now the sleep sack focus of baby safe sleep
campaigns has centred largely on encouraging the
use of baby sleep sacks over blankets to ensure that
bedding stays clear of the baby’s face. Many parents
have overlooked the type of fabric used in the baby
sleep sack itself in relation to baby thermal comfort
and reduced risk of overheating.
The findings of this research study indicate that a
baby sleep sack’s fabric should be an important
consideration along with the baby sleep sack’s
design. While baby sleep sacks in general eliminate
the need for blankets and reduce the SIDS risk of
head covering, only baby sleep sacks made from
natural merino fabric will readily absorb and release
moisture to reduce the risk of babies overheating.
Baby sleep sacks made from synthetic polar fleece
or other polyester fabrics might result in a baby
becoming too hot.
Seal of Outstanding
Design Quality
PRODUCT COMPARISON OF MERINO WOOL AND POLYESTER BABY SLEEP SACKS
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8LIWPIITWEGOWEVIHMVIGXP]GSQTEVEFPIEWXLI]EVI
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GSQQIRXXLEX[MXLTSP]IWXIVWPIITWEGOWXLIMVFEFMIW
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WPIITWEGOW
by Research Scientists
Dr S R Collie,
Dr A Tasker
and M F Hnat
AgResearch Report
CLR 10/17
July 2010
PRODUCT COMPARISON OF MERINO WOOL AND POLYESTER BABY SLEEP SACKS
6IWYPXWERHHMWGYWWMSR
8IWXVIWYPXWJSVX[SGSQQIVGMEPMRJERXWPIITWEGOW
Merino
Kids™
Halo®
Thickness
(mm)
2.12
3.65
Weight / unit area
(g/m2)
405
216
Thermal resistance
(m2K/W)
0.032
0.089
0.32
0.89
Thermal conductivity
(W/m.K)
0.067
0.041
Moisture vapor absorption
(g/m2)
28.82
0.34
Moisture vapor transmission
(g/m2)
405.4
413.8
167
393
Test parameter
Tog rating
Air permeability
(ft3/min/inch water/ft2)
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VIWMWXERGIXSKVEXMRKERHLMKLIVXLIVQEPGSRHYGXMZMX]
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WMQTP]ERSYXGSQISJXLILMKLIVXLMGORIWWSJXLEX
TVSHYGXEWXLIVQEPVIWMWXERGIMRJEFVMGWMWPEVKIP]
EJYRGXMSRSJLS[QYGLEMVMWXVETTIHERHEXLMGO
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merino
baby’s
skin
Merino fiber absorbs and
releases moisture to reduce
the risk of baby overheating or
waking up damp
polyester
baby’s
skin
Synthetic fiber does not
absorb moisture well, and
baby can overheat
PRODUCT COMPARISON OF MERINO WOOL AND POLYESTER BABY SLEEP SACKS
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The Royal Fiber
The merino sheep
was bred secretly
in the mountains
of medieval Castile
and the luxuriously
fine soft textiles
produced from the
merino wool were
the private reserve
of the aristocracy of
Spain. Ownership of
merino flocks was
restricted to the
Castilian nobility,
with exporting of
merino outlawed
and punishable by
death to protect
the valuable breed.
Only in the 18th
Century did merino
start to reach the
rest of the world,
when the Kings of
Spain gave prized
merino sheep as
gifts to their royal
cousins in other
countries. Today
the aristocratic
merino has found
a new home in
the spectacular
Southern Alps of
New Zealand, where
mountain flocks
produce the world’s
finest, softest wool.
ABOUT MERINO
Evolution has endowed the
merino sheep with an amazing
wool fiber that scientists cannot
replicate. No artificial fabric can
match the all-round performance
of merino. Only merino fabric
has the remarkable natural
ability to regulate a baby’s body
temperature to keep them warm
and sleeping through the night
without overheating.
Superior insulation
Merino is the world’s finest natural fiber, one-tenth
the thickness of a human hair. Since merino fiber is
much finer than synthetic fibers for a given weight,
it contains more air spaces for better insulation.
Unlike smooth synthetic fibers, a merino fiber has
tiny scales that increase the surface area available to
resist the passage of air for even greater insulation.
This superior warmth-to-weight ratio explains
how merino sleep sacks can be both comfortably
lightweight and very warm.
Reduced risk of overheating
Merino fabric ‘breathes’ exceptionally well, which
means it is able to absorb perspiration from the skin
and release it as vapor into the air to help prevent
a baby from overheating and waking up damp. For
this reason, babies sleeping in merino are much less
likely to overheat than babies sleeping in polyester
sleep sacks or blankets. First Candle identifies
overheating as a leading risk factor for SIDS and risk
of overheating is an important consideration when
choosing nursery bedding.
Body-temperature regulating
Babies can take as long as a year to develop the full
capability to regulate their own body temperature.
© 2010 Babysleepbags
Just a few degrees of variation in room temperature
can cause them to overheat or wake up cold. Only
merino fabric has the remarkable natural ability
to regulate a baby’s body temperature to create
the perfect safe micro-climate around their body.
Merino fabric responds to changes in a baby’s body
temperature to trap air to keep them warm in cool
air and releasing heat and moisture when the room
temperature rises.
Naturally fire resistant
Merino is naturally fire resistant. It doesn’t readily
catch fire and even when it is burned, it selfextinguishes when the source of flame is removed.
When merino is exposed to flame it doesn’t melt
and stick to the skin like synthetic fabrics. That’s
why fire-fighters’ uniforms incorporate merino. In
contrast, synthetic fabrics present a high fire danger
and are often required to be treated with fireretardant chemicals which can irritate sensitive skin.
Superfine merino fiber is
one-tenth the thickness of
a human hair and covered
in tiny scales for superior
insulation.
Allergy-safe
Merino is unlike standard wool in that each merino
fiber has a silky outer layer, creating an extremely
soft, fine texture. Superfine merino fabric is
lightweight, comfortable to wear without itch, and
safe to use for babies with eczema, allergies and
sensitive skin.
Highly durable
Merino garments are long-lasting, as merino fibers
can bend 20,000 times without breaking. The natural
elasticity of merino fibers means they stretch with
the wearer then return to their natural state so
there is less chance of garments sagging or losing
their orginal shape. Merino garments can be gently
machine-washed with a wool detergent and tumbledried on a low heat setting. They do not require
frequent washing if aired regularly because merino
fiber has a protective layer which repels stains and
odors.
Catwalk
Fashion
The superb natural
qualities of merino
are inspiring today’s
fashion designers,
and merino
garments are
frequently seen on
the fashion catwalks
of New York and
Milan.