A study in New Zealand has found that wool clothing is 66% less likely to retain unpleasant odours than clothes made from polyester.

The same study found that there was also a 28% lower likelihood of odour retention in wool garments than in cotton ones.

Thirteen olfactory specialists from across New Zealand were involved in the study.

The Woolmark Company explained that these results are down to wool's ability to absorb a higher level of moisture, bind odour molecules into its own fibre structure so that they are released only when a garment is washed.

"When you wear wool, you stay fresh and comfortable for longer," the wool promotion body said.

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