Woolen Socks and Sportswear Do Not Have Antibacterial Properties – They Only Temporarily Hide Odors
Wool is great for socks and sportswear for a variety of reasons, including being warm even when wet. As a bonus, you can wear the wool for multiple workouts without messing it up. But it turns out that the reason is not what you think: wool does not kill bacteria, it just hides their smell.
Lanolin , the oily substance sheep makes from glands in the skin, does indeed have antibacterial properties. But by the time the wool is washed and processed to make this dreamily soft (and tragically expensive ) hiking and running garment, lanolin is long gone. Instead, the fibers seem to trap smelly chemicals released by sweat-eating bacteria.
This means your gear will start to stink over time, so frequent washing is still important. Read more myths about wool and other high performance materials at the link below, including tips on how to keep waterproof layers waterproof longer.
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