The answer isn't that one is better than the other. It's about choosing the yarn that's right for your project, your lifestyle, and the person who's going to wear it.

---

Superwash or non-superwash? It depends.

Someone emailed me recently asking about one of our beautiful New Zealand yarns.

The question seemed simple enough.

"Is it machine washable?"

The answer was no, and it reminded me just how much confusion there is around superwash and non-superwash wool. It's one of those questions I answer in the shop all the time, because it's easy to assume one is "better" than the other.

The truth is, it depends.

One of the interesting things about New Zealand yarn is that if I tell you a yarn is 100% made in New Zealand and has never left our shores, then it can't be superwash. At the moment, the superwash treatment isn't carried out in New Zealand, so any yarn that's been made machine washable has had to leave the country for that part of the process before coming back again.

For some knitters that's simply an interesting fact. For others, it's actually part of why they buy New Zealand yarn in the first place. They love knowing the wool has been grown, spun and processed entirely here.

Neither choice is right or wrong.

It's simply another thing to think about.

And that's probably the biggest theme of this whole guide.

People often ask me whether I prefer superwash or non-superwash.

Honestly?

I genuinely like both.

---

What actually is superwash wool?

Before we talk about which one to choose, it helps to understand what's actually happening to the wool.

Every wool fibre has tiny little scales running along it. I always laugh when I explain this because when I hear the word scales I immediately think of fish, and fish and sheep couldn't feel much further apart.

Those tiny scales are actually one of the reasons wool is such an incredible fibre.

They help the fibres gently cling to each other, trapping warm air inside your knitting. They're also what allows wool to bloom after blocking, helping stitches soften together and creating that beautiful cohesive fabric we all love.

They're also the reason wool felts.

If untreated wool is exposed to sudden temperature changes, friction or agitation, those scales start locking together. A little bit of this is actually helpful. It's what makes colourwork settle beautifully, helps garments hold their shape and contributes to that wonderfully warm, woolly feel.

Too much, though, and you'll end up with a jumper that's several sizes smaller than when you started.

Superwash wool goes through a treatment that smooths those scales down so they can't lock together in the same way. There are a number of different ways manufacturers achieve this today. Some older methods relied on harsher chemical treatments, while many of the yarns we stock now use newer, more environmentally friendly processes.

I often think of it a bit like putting conditioner on dry hair. The fibre becomes smoother, softer and silkier to the touch. It behaves differently, but that doesn't automatically make it better or worse. Just different.

---

Why I don't have a favourite

This is usually the point where people expect me to tell them which one they should buy.

Instead, I'll probably ask a few more questions.

Who are you knitting for?

How are they going to wear it?

How much washing is it likely to need?

What sort of garment are you hoping to make?

Because those answers matter far more than whether the yarn is superwash or not.

One of my favourite sweaters is knitted in a beautiful environmentally friendly superwash merino. It feels almost silky when I wear it, drapes beautifully and I absolutely love it.

Another of my favourite sweaters is knitted in 100% New Zealand non-superwash wool. It's warm, rustic and exactly what I reach for on a freezing Canterbury morning.

I wouldn't swap either of them.

They simply do different jobs in my wardrobe.

That's why you'll never hear me say one is better than the other.

The best yarn is the one that's going to become the garment you actually love wearing.

---

Life matters just as much as fibre

One of the reasons I feel so strongly about this is because my own life has changed.

Years ago, when I was a single mum with three young children, life was busy. I was working, juggling kids and just trying to get through the week.

If someone had lovingly knitted beautiful baby clothes for me that all needed careful hand washing and laying flat to dry, I'm honestly not sure I would have looked after them properly.

I would have appreciated superwash wool more than almost anything.

Not because it's "better", but because it suited that stage of life.

These days my children are grown. I have more time, a little more patience, and I don't mind hand washing something special once in a while. I also have the luxury of choosing some beautifully soft premium non-superwash yarns that simply weren't in my budget years ago.

Neither stage of life is right or wrong.

They're just different.

That's why I never judge someone's choice of yarn.

Sometimes the most practical yarn is exactly the right yarn.

Superwash vs Non-Superwash at a Glance

If you're someone who likes a quick summary before diving into the detail, here's the short version.

If you're not familiar with blocking, it's worth reading my guide on How to Block Your Knitting, because that's often where you'll really start to notice the difference between superwash and non-superwash yarns.

(Internal link: How to Block Your Knitting)

---

How I choose between them

People often ask me which one I'd recommend.

The truth is, I don't start with the yarn.

I start with the person.

Who's going to wear it?

What's their life like?

Are they someone who happily hand washes special garments, or are they running after toddlers, working full time and trying to remember where they left their coffee?

Those questions matter far more than whether a yarn is superwash or non-superwash.

If I'm knitting for a new baby, I'm usually going to reach for a superwash wool. Not because I think it's a better yarn, but because I remember exactly what life was like with small children. You're changing clothes several times a day, you're washing constantly, and the last thing I would have wanted was to worry about accidentally shrinking a hand knitted cardigan.

On the other hand, if I'm knitting myself a warm winter sweater for walking the dogs on a frosty Canterbury morning, I'm much more likely to reach for a beautiful non-superwash wool. It's warmer, it has that lovely woolly bounce, and I know I'll happily give it the little bit of extra care it deserves.

If I'm knitting colourwork, I almost always lean towards non-superwash. Those tiny scales we talked about earlier help the stitches gently bloom together after blocking. The finished fabric softens beautifully and almost looks like it's settled into itself.

The same goes for cables and textured knitting. Non-superwash yarn has a wonderful elasticity that helps those stitches hold their shape over time.

But if I'm knitting a gift, everything changes again.

I don't choose the yarn I'd like.

I choose the yarn I think the recipient will actually enjoy owning.

Because there's no point spending weeks knitting something beautiful if the person receiving it is too worried about washing it to ever wear it.

---

What I'd usually recommend

Of course, there are always exceptions, but this is generally where I find myself heading.

---

One thing people don't always realise...

Sometimes the fibre chooses for you.

For example, most sock yarns are already superwash because they're designed to cope with lots of wear and washing.

On the other hand, fibres like mohair and many alpaca yarns are often non-superwash simply because of the nature of the fibre itself.

So sometimes the question isn't "Should I buy superwash?"

It's "Is this the fibre that best suits the project I want to make?"

That's where understanding your fibres becomes really valuable.

If you're still trying to work out which fibre might suit your project, my guides on How to Choose the Right Knitting Yarn, Mohair or Alpaca?, and Best Yarn for Warm Winter Sweaters are a great place to start.

What people often get wrong about superwash and non-superwash wool

One of the reasons I wanted to write this guide is because I think we often end up asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking "Which one is better?", I think we should be asking "Which one is going to suit this project, this person and this stage of life?"

Once you start thinking that way, choosing yarn becomes much less overwhelming.

There are a few myths that come up over and over again in the shop, so let's tackle some of the big ones.

---

Myth #1: Non-superwash wool needs constant washing

Honestly?

Quite the opposite.

One of the biggest surprises for people is how rarely I actually wash my woollen garments.

Wool is an incredible fibre. It naturally manages moisture, doesn't tend to hold onto smells the way synthetic fibres do, and often all it needs is a good airing.

Unless I've spilt curry down the front of myself, had a coffee disaster or something equally dramatic, most of my sweaters simply get aired between wears.

In countries like Norway, Sweden and Denmark, it's common to simply hang wool garments outside in the fresh air rather than washing them after every few wears.

We've become a little conditioned to think that everything has to go through the washing machine to be clean, but wool really doesn't work like that.

Ironically, washing your wool less often is usually better for the garment, and it's often better for the environment too.

---

Myth #2: Superwash means you don't have to think about washing

Superwash definitely makes life easier.

It reduces the risk of felting and shrinking, which is exactly why I often recommend it for baby knitting, gifts and busy households.

But it doesn't mean your knitting becomes indestructible.

It's still wool.

It still deserves a little care.

One of the biggest surprises people have is what happens after they block a superwash garment.

Because the fibres have been smoothed, they don't cling together in quite the same way as untreated wool. That can mean garments become a little more drapey or grow more than expected, particularly if they've been knitted at a looser gauge.

That's why I still recommend knitting and washing a swatch before you start a garment. A tiny bit of time at the beginning can save a lot of disappointment later.

---

Myth #3: Non-superwash wool is always scratchy

This one makes me smile because I think it comes from memories of older, coarser wool.

Yes, there are some beautifully rustic wools that have a bit more texture to them.

There are also some incredibly soft non-superwash yarns that feel absolutely beautiful against the skin.

I've become a little bit obsessed with discovering just how soft untreated wool can be.

I'm also aware that's a privilege.

Premium non-superwash yarns are often exactly that... premium.

If you're buying at a lower price point, a superwash treatment can sometimes create a much softer finished yarn than an untreated equivalent.

Again, there's no right or wrong.

It's simply understanding what you're buying and why it behaves the way it does.

---

Myth #4: Superwash is always the better choice

Or the opposite...

That non-superwash is somehow the "proper" way to knit.

I don't agree with either.

Some of my favourite garments are knitted in superwash merino.

Others are knitted in untreated New Zealand wool.

I reach for different ones on different days because they do different jobs.

If I'm knitting for exhausted new parents, I'm probably choosing superwash.

If I'm knitting a warm sweater for frosty winter mornings in Canterbury, I'm probably reaching for non-superwash.

Neither decision is about being a better knitter.

It's simply about making a garment that's going to be worn and loved.

---

One of the things I love most about knitting is that there isn't one right answer.

If there was, we'd all be making exactly the same sweater in exactly the same yarn, and honestly, how boring would that be?

Instead, knitting gives us choices.

We get to choose the yarn, the colour, the fit, the texture and even how much care we're prepared to give the finished garment.

That's what makes handmade so special.

So if you're trying to decide between superwash and non-superwash, don't worry about choosing the "best" one.

• Think about who's going to wear it.
• Think about where it's going to be worn.
• Think about how you want it to feel.
• Think about how you're going to care for it.

Once you answer those questions, the right yarn usually becomes much easier to find.

And if you're still not sure...

That's exactly what we're here for.

Helping people make confident yarn choices is one of my favourite parts of working in the shop.