Smalls Merino

Friends and mothers to six children between them, Emma-Jane Adam and Cat Pharo started the brand in 2014 in the UK because they missed the high quality, high performance of merino products that were available back in their homeland of New Zealand. The resulting brand took the UK by storm, and today Smalls products have been sold in major department stores including Harrods and Selfridges in the UK, and around the world – spreading the benefits of New Zealand merino as they go.

Smalls innovative approach empowers ultra-fine merino wool to tell its own compelling story in a more beautiful and sustainable way, harnessing this miracle fabric’s best qualities and innate strengths, to make gorgeous and durable next to skin childrenswear, womenswear and menswear essentials.

In New Zealand, Emma and Cat’s childhoods were wrapped up in merino: it’s a newborn staple because of its long understood benefits. As our own children grew, we discovered a huge gap in the market for children and adults We decided to fill it, sticking to a sustainable manifesto, and a binding commitment to environmental responsibility, innovation and refusal to follow the herd (pun intended).

Skin Loving

Smalls Ultra-fine fully traceable merino won’t irritate the skin. Its antistatic fibres repel the dust which can cause allergies and asthma.at 17.5 Our Merino is breathable, keeping skin dry and less prone to eczema.

Wool is mistakenly regarded as an irritant, exacerbating itchy and dry skin. However, clinical research conducted by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and the Queensland Institute of Dermatology proved that ultrafine merino wool actually reduces the severity of eczema in children. The studies demonstrated that ultrafine merino garments were not only a low allergy risk but also a low irritant with a therapeutic effect beneficial to eczema sufferers, and therefore a recommended clothing choice.

Because all of Smalls are tested at 17.5micron or lower, we were proud to gain Woolmark cetification in 2022.
That Smalls merino is truly skin loving has also been borne out by rave reviews from customers with eczema-prone children.

Sustainable
We reject the wastefulness, and terrible environmental costs of fast fashion. Our pieces are beautiful, high quality and durable investment purchases.

Smalls journey is fully traceable and always has been since 2014. Our wool comes from ZQ certified bales (ensuring sheep a better quality of life and a regenerative farmland). Smalls Raw yarn is turned into finest merino fabric at a family-run mill in Biella, Italy where it’s combed spun and woven within a 30km radius, working to the highest environmental standards. The first mill to become B-Corp certified, it’s the only mill in the world with EMAS certification for environmental performance. Smalls fabric travels by road to a Portuguese family-run maker to become Smalls (also working to the highest environmental standards), wrapped in water-soluble packaging and delivered straight to our customers.

Our trade in program in partnership with TERN, ensures your Smalls can keep on giving right up until the end. Once they are well and truly worn out, you know the very best thing about Smalls? They biodegrade with NO traces of wool being found in Marine life (and that’s a fact)

When finally, they reach the end of their long and useful life, Smalls fully biodegrade, leaving no trace.

Soft but mighty

Smalls Kitten-soft and luxurious merino is also durable and resilient! Smalls can be worn (and machine washed) relentlessly but won’t fade, shrink or pill. Because they are naturally antibacterial, they never get smelly. As they retain their beauty and usefulness, they can be handed-on multiple times. Once they’re outgrown, our thriving trade-in programme helps well-loved pieces move on to new homes.

Thermo Genius

Smalls Merino naturally regulates body temperature all year round, keeping you cool when it’s hot – and cosy when it’s cold outside. This is particularly handy during the change of seasons when colder weather and central heating really take their toll on our skin.

Smalls are ensuring this uniquely sustainable fabric realise its full potential.