When my first son was born, I began the constant search for baby clothing that fit our lifestyle. I’d been trained to never use cotton for outdoor pursuits, or for high intensity activities. So naturally, I wanted to take my baby on all the adventures I loved, but not in a cotton onsie! He needed adventure clothes, too! He also drooled and spit up like crazy, and cotton shirts created quite the skin situation on a chubby, drooly baby.
Enter Nui Organics- the first company I came across that offered wool baby clothes. I now know there are many, but this was the first one I found. Not only were their pieces adorable and stylish, but they kept my baby drier, didn’t hold stink, and helped keep his temperature regulated when we were out in cold and warm weather.
Nui Organics is a wool clothing company with roots in New Zealand, which makes sense- there are more sheep than people in New Zealand! Their focus is on sustainable fashion; to provide safe and natural alternatives to every day clothing. Their style is definitely inspired by the coasts, mountains, and forests of the island, and they’re so well made and beautiful!
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A Wardrobe Staple
I now have 3 active boys, and I’ve continued to use Nui for a variety of outdoor lifestyle pursuits. As my children have gotten older, they’re a wardrobe staple– from winter thermals to quick dry summer tees, and for chilly fall and spring pursuits. I have loved their addition of men’s and women’s clothing as well.
When I did a two day climb of Mt. Moran in the Tetons, what did I wear? My Nui tee. When we took our kids bike packing on the Olympic Peninsula and later in Baja, what were the first things packed? Our wool tees from Nui. When I wanted to absolutely spoil my third and last baby, what did I buy? Merino footies, wool pilot caps, and the cutest wool trousers from Nui. So I guess you could say I recommend the brand.
Why Wool?
I’ve said it before, but wool is an ideal fabric for life. It’s sustainable, generally doesn’t contain nasty chemicals or microplastics, and is better for our planet when sourced ethically. It’s also better for our bodies and gentle on the skin. It doesn’t hold stink like many synthetic fibers, so you have to wash it much less. Simply hanging it to air out is often all the care it needs.
It’s naturally temperature regulating, so whether you’re climbing a mountain or trying to stay comfortable sleeping, wool helps your body not to overheat or freeze. It manages moisture beautifully, so you’re not dealing with sweaty, sticky, uncomfortable fabrics.
What Did We Test?
For this round of product testing, my kids and I ordered knit wool leggings, sweaters, and thermals, so I’ll break down the exact products, their ideal uses, and what we thought about them. Here is a list of the specific products we are using this winter:
- Childs Stevie Crew sweater
- Childs Knit Legging
- Childs Merino Silk Mott tee
- Childs Merino silk Abel leggings
- Childs Hopu top
- Womens Knit Legging
- Womens Hopu top
Knit wear (leggings and sweaters) and 100% organic merino wool, and the Merino Silk thermals are 70% merino wool and 30% silk.
Merino Knit Leggings
We Love Them!
These leggings are so comfy and cozy. I’ve been ordering the kids version ($79) for years, and we use them a pretty solid three seasons a year. They’re thick, ribbed and fitted and fit pretty true to size. It is easy to order up a size and fold the cuffs to get a few seasons out of them. They’re pretty gender neutral in my opinion. My boys are generally not wearing them on their own though. They use them as pajamas or under ski clothes. They’ve also made a few debuts in Halloween costumes.
This is the first time I’ve tried out the women’s sizing ($110), and I have to say- I’m impressed. They are so soft and I wear them almost every day in winter. They hit mid waist, just at my belly button, and the waist band is not binding or uncomfortable at all. I am rounder in the middle, and short; I usually wear size large and the large fits great for me.
What we love about these leggings most is the coziness. They’re really warm on cold ski and snow days, and I love them as lounge wear as well. I love that they don’t hold smells like a lot of base layers, so I can just air them out and wear them over and over again.
Are There Any Flaws?
Surely they’re not perfect though, right? Well, they do have a flaw or two. Because they are 100% merino wool, they don’t have spandex or other fabrics added. This means after a few wears, the knees and other spots may get a little baggy or loose, but after a wash they get right back into shape.
Wash/Care
Another thing that can be tricky is the wash/care. They (and I) do not recommend drying them in a dryer, because they will shrink a bit. I made this mistake, in a hurry tossed them on a low heat gentle dry. They shrunk just enough to change the fit from perfect to ok.
This is hard for me, because I need low maintenance laundry. I don’t tend to sort clothes- I’m a no drama mama. So having to pull things out to hang dry is annoying to me. But, it’s just part of using wool I suppose. It’s worth it, so I’ve gotten used to doing it for our favorite pieces.
If you are committed to using wool, you should learn the best wash/ care practices, and we have a handy article documenting just that. Check it out here: How to Wash Wool.
My opinion on durability: although they seem a bit delicate, these leggings are quite durable in general. My kids tend to crawl around on the ground everywhere it seems, so they’ve worn holes in nearly every pair of pants they own, including these. Luckily, it’s easy enough to throw a patch on. But the holes have taken a few years to show up on past leggings, so overall I’d say they’re pretty durable.
Hopu Tops (Sweaters)
We ordered one adult (women’s– $138) and one children’s version ($84) of this sweater. It’s basically the top version of the knit leggings. It’s 100% merino, and my first thought when putting it on was how luxurious it felt! And my husband kept commenting on how good it looked! I feel like it’s pretty flattering. It is mid weight and loosely fitted. I’d say they fit pretty true to size.
What’s It Best For?
I have loved it for basically everything this winter. I wear it under my ski bibs, I wear it alone for cross country skiing, and I pair it with cute jeans for a night out. I could really use about three more.
It’s got the same properties as the leggings, so it doesn’t hold odors, which means I don’t have to wash it much. I haven’t noticed much wear as far as pilling or thinning, and I’ve worn it pretty consistently for about 2 months.
Pricey
Probably the only down side (besides laundry) is the price. It runs about $138 (kids is $84) on their website, which is more than I generally spend on sweaters. But if you see it as a base layer AND a sweater, it’s more justifiable. Also, Nui often has great sales, so if the cost is prohibitive, snag it on a sale or use our discount code! It really is so worth it in my opinion.
Stevie Crew Sweater
We also ordered the Stevie Crew sweater ($79) for kids. It’s slightly more fitted and not ribbed. It’s got a bit less stretch than the Hopu top. That being said, my kiddo loves it. He wears it as a base layer or daily sweater, but it also dresses up for church nicely.
I would say it runs a tad small, so ordering up a size is a good idea. My son says the only down side is the arms- they are pretty tight/fitted on the forearms which he doesn’t love, but after wearing for a bit they stretch to a comfortable fit.
This is a really cute and stylish top that would work for so many things. We love it.
Merino-Silk Thermals
These two pieces I’ll review together since they’re the same fabric and a matching set, though they’re sold separately. The top is called the Mott tee ($52) and the bottoms are called the Abel leggings ($48).
These thermals are mixed with silk to add durability and a nice sheen to the fabric. They come in gorgeous colors and they’re really soft. They are on the thinner side, so they’re nice for layering with other heavier items or alone on warmer days.
My picky 6 year old loves this set. He wears the long sleeve top to school, and loves to sleep in the top and bottom. They are gentle on his skin and don’t irritate. I think they regulate his temperature really well at night, so he sleeps well in them, not waking up sweaty.
Options For Saving Money
All the wool pieces we’ve tested from NUI have been excellent quality, beautiful, and comfortable. Although they have higher price tags, this is one of those instances where you get what you pay for. This is not fast fashion, so they’re not cheap.
However, they have options to help with affordability. A few times a year they have awesome sales, like 40% off, which makes things much more attainable for families on a budget. They also have a rewards program, where you can earn points when you buy items, leave reviews for items, and use referral codes to then redeem for discounts.
They also have something called re(Nui), which is a program to buy and sell gently used Nui products. This helps keep clothing out of landfills and gives people a chance to save money on quality items, so I feel like it’s a win-win.
We also have an discount code for you to use!
Bottom Line
As a family who has used Nui Organics products for almost 10 years, I can definitely recommend this company for all your wool lifestyle needs. Along with very functional base layers and clothes for outdoor play, they make gorgeous pieces that will last through multiple kids and classic looks that don’t go out of style. This is clothing you can feel good about, because they work hard to make sure it’s good for you and good for the planet.
Where To Buy
To order any of these pieces or more, simply visit the Nui Organics website and don’t forget to use our discount code!
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- Outdoor Capsule Wardrobe for Kids
Nui Organics Wool Review
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