In fine-knit organic Merino wool, these round-necked, long-sleeved vests will keep your child warm whatever they're up to. Wonderful value simple organic merino wool vests in a very pure form, but wash carefully.

• 100% warm and breathable organic Merino wool
• fine knit to stay close to the skin
• natural with no chemical finishing - 100% skin-friendly.

please note: the size 80cm vests are from a batch of 92cm vests we received that were undersized. External packaging will say 80 but sewn in labels will say 92.

Click here to view Engel's size chart.

Sizes have been translated from height-in-cm sizes, or German/Continental sizes, as follows:

Height
92cm -- 1-2yrs
104cm -- 3-4yrs (size up for larger children)
116cm -- 5-6yrs
128cm -- 7-8yrs
140cm -- 9-10yrs
152cm -- 12yrs
164cm -- 14yrs
176cm -- 16yrs (will fit a slim grown woman; will be too narrow for an average grown man)
Arms are long to keep wrists warm; sizing overall is average tending to small in the larger sizes.

Larger sizes
size/age -- chest -- length
152/12yrs -- 64cm -- 56cm
164/14yrs -- 66cm -- 60cm
176/16yrs -- 68cm -- 62cm
NB - this is size of the article, which is designed to stretch and be close-fitting!

This is made in 100% organic Merino wool certified by IVN as BEST, which meets and exceeds GOTS organic standards.

These standards are so high that even oils that lubricate knitting machines have to be analysed. With Engel, you can be assured that their dyes are baby-safe, eco-safe and that all cotton threads and finishes are natural too. All Engel's poppers are nickel-free.

All certified organic wool comes from sheep which have been farmed organically and with high animal welfare standards. At Cambridge Baby we always make sure that no wool comes from farms which practise mulesing.

Please note that under EU labelling regulations, stating the type of wool is not allowed, only a statement of "100% wool" or "new wool" is allowed. However, this garment is made from 100% organic Merino wool.

Wool has many benefits when worn next to the skin and about the body.

• Wool absorbs moisture into the centre of the fibre, so that it still feels dry on the outside. This is very healthy for your skin - your skin stays dry while the wool can absorb up to 33% of its own weight while still feeling dry.
• Wool "breathes", releasing its moisture out into the atmosphere. It does this dynamically in response to the environment, so if you or your child is active and sweating more, wool works harder for you. Wonderful.
• Wool is also naturally anti-bacterial, dirt-resistant and very stretchy, making wonderful clothes that are easy to put on and take off, excellent for dressing babies and children.

Wool is therefore a wonderful temperature-regulator, slowing down the effects of changes of temperature and helping prevent sweatiness by absorbing moisture and releasing it in response to the environment.

The Merino wool fibre specifically is very fine, soft and springy and is not itchy at all to most skins. The Merino sheep usually thrives in mountainous areas at high altitudes and its wool is naturally brilliant at keeping the body comfortable at a wide range of temperatures.

Merino wool has also been proven to absorb UV across the whole range of the spectrum, giving excellent lightweight sun protection in the summer too.

Find out more about the properties of wool here in our blog here.

Merino wool is the wool of choice for baby and children's clothes, as well as for sportswear, because it's finer than most other wools. It's naturally springy (which makes it softer) and has a tight crimp, allowing it to trap more air, making clothing lighter as well as softer for the same excellent insulation.

Everyday Care
Merino wool is naturally self-cleaning. For everyday use hang your wool clothing to air rather than wash.

Read what Engel has to say about caring for your new clothes.

"You don’t need to wash our products before wearing them for the first time. After the knitting process, our fabrics are washed to rinse out any excess dye residues, in the first place, and secondly to remove knitting oils and dirt.

Our products are all made using 100% ecologically sound methods and have no chemical finish. And we never make use of dyes that could be a health hazard or textile finishes which could cause skin irritations, for example, or harm the environment during or after processing. We are not allowed to do this under the strict manufacturing criteria with which we must comply to obtain the IVN BEST or GOTS certifications for our products.

We basically recommend that you wash our wool and wool/silk fabrics as little as possible. Wool regenerates in oxygen-rich air of its own accord and so it can also just be well-aired."

How to Hand Wash Wool
When washing is required we recommend washing your wool garment by hand. When handwashing, great care is needed to ensure the garment does not shrink or 'felt':

• Dilute your wool detergent in cool water. We recommend one of our liquid wool shampoos in our fabric care section here. Use a thermometer to ensure the temperature is under 30°C.
• Add your clothing, gently stirring and squeezing the water through.
• Rinse through using water cooler than 30°c.
• To dry, gently squeeze water out and wrap the wool clothes in a towel to remove the excess water. Air-dry naturally avoiding direct heat.

We have the widest range of Engel clothing on the web, made from organic Merino wool, silk/wool blend and organic cotton clothing.
With clothing for the little ones including premature babies, active wear for children and great base-layers for adults - it's all there to keep everyone healthy and comfortable! And their outerwear is wonderfully soft and breathable too!

Engel was established in the 1960s. From 1982 onwards the company started to concentrate on natural textiles in an exemplary and consistent way. Engel garments are Certified Organic by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The wool comes from Merino sheep in their natural environment, which are organically farmed and therefore live a healthy and stress-free life. The usage of pesticides is forbidden both on pastures and on animals.

Click here to read Engel's FAQs.