Merino Wool Underwear in Sofia: Why Visit Our Atelier and How to Find Us

You can see and feel merino wool underwear in Sofia at the Marta Gabarda atelier, 205 Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd, Razsadnika district. Try the fit, check the fabric weight by hand and buy on the spot. Visits are by appointment. For hikers, this removes sizing guesswork and return shipping.

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Why visit when I can just order online?

Because merino underwear is one of the few products where a photo tells you almost nothing.

Two items can look identical on screen and behave completely differently against the skin. The difference lies in the fabric weight, the knit, and whether there is silk in the blend. None of those are visible in a product image.

What five minutes in person actually tells you:

• How thin it really is — most people expect something like thermal gear and are surprised it is thinner than a T-shirt.
• Whether it itches you — the most common fear about wool. The answer is personal to your skin, not statistical.
• How it sits on the body — especially important for bralettes, bodysuits and boxer-style shorts.
• The difference between models — 100% merino and a merino-silk blend feel noticeably different.
• The true colour — screens lie, particularly with melange shades and browns.

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What does a hiker specifically gain from visiting?

Hikers ask more specific questions than the average shopper, and those are exactly the ones that are hard to resolve online.

Getting the size right the first time

A base layer needs to sit close to the skin to work. Too loose and the merino cannot manage moisture. Too tight and it chafes under backpack straps.

Trying it on takes a few minutes and settles a question that otherwise costs you a return shipment.

Checking the friction zones

Bring your backpack. Seriously — this is the most practical advice in this article.

With the pack on, you can immediately see where the shoulder straps cross the seams and whether anything bunches exactly where you will be carrying 12 kilos for six hours. For women this is the deciding factor between a bralette and a conventional model.

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Is it a shop or an atelier?

An atelier and showroom, not a retail store. That distinction is what makes the visit worthwhile.

Marta Gabarda is a family business and the merino wool underwear sold in Sofia is sewn right here, on site. You are not meeting a sales assistant — you are meeting the people who make the product. You can ask why the blend is 70% merino and 30% silk, why some items have no side seams, and what happens if something comes apart after two years.

In practice this also means the stock on site does not always match the full online catalogue. That is why calling ahead is not a formality.

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Where exactly is the atelier?

Address: 205 Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd, Sofia — Razsadnika-Konyovitsa, Krasna Polyana district.

In Cyrillic, for taxi drivers and delivery apps: бул. „Александър Стамболийски” 205, София. Save it as an image or a note — most local drivers will find it instantly from the Cyrillic, less so from the transliteration.
By public transport:

• Metro: the nearest station is Konstantin Velichkov. From there it is a few minutes’ walk south to the boulevard.
• Tram: Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd is the main tram corridor between the centre and the western districts. Get off at the stop by the junction with Konstantin Velichkov Blvd.
  Landmark: the National Palace of Children sits right at that junction. Once you see it, you are in the right place — the atelier is a little further along the boulevard.

Tram routes along Stamboliyski changed in 2026 after the boulevard was rebuilt, so check the current line number with the Sofia Urban Mobility Centre or Google Maps on the day you travel.

By car

• The boulevard is open in both directions following the roadworks.
• Street parking is available on the side streets behind the boulevard and usually fills less quickly than in the centre.
• Coming from the centre, simply drive west along Stamboliyski; the street numbers increase in that direction.

Opening hours

• Monday to Friday: 10:00 – 17:00
  
• Closed Saturday and Sunday

Before you set off

• Call: +359 878 876 524 (Jordan) or +359 878 540 550 (Yana)
• Or email: office@martagabarda.com
• Visits are by appointment — that way someone is free to meet you and the model you are interested in is on site.

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What should you bring?

• Your backpack, if you are buying for hiking — the reason is explained above.
• A garment you would wear over the base layer, to check whether it shows through.
• Your size in other brands, as a starting point.
• A specific question — “what will you use it for” is the single most useful thing you can tell us.

If you want to arrive prepared, browse the full merino range and read how wool underwear actually works beforehand, so you know what to ask on the day.

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How do you pay in person?

Online orders are cash on delivery, but when you visit you pay directly and take the item with you. No shipping cost and no waiting for a courier. We accept card payments

That is also the practical reason a visit works out cheaper: you save the delivery fee, and if you are unsure about sizing, the cost of a return as well. Buying merino wool underwear in Sofia in person is the fastest way to get the right size first time.

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Frequently asked questions

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Marta Gabarda — a family workshop making merino wool and silk underwear in Sofia. 205 Alexander Stamboliyski Blvd · +359 878 876 524 · office@martagabarda.com