Wool vs. merino wool vs. synthetic

icebreaker merino

Finally, a performance solution with none of the downsides. Merino is super lightweight, soft, non-itchy, non-clammy, warm in the cold and cool in the heat, and has a miraculous ability to resist odor.

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Synthetic

In the 1970s everyone started wearing synthetic fabrics. They had the advantage of being lightweight, easy care and non-itch, but the disadvantage of feeling wet and clammy to touch, sweaty and smelly, and as they were petroleum-based, highly flammable!

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Traditional wool

Once everyone wore traditional wool outdoors. It was warm of course, but it was also heavy, bulky, took forever to dry and it itched like crazy!

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icebreaker merino environment

In New Zealand, the merino is a mountain sheep that roams freely at up to 7,000 feet. The fiber has evolved over time to be extremely fine and strong to increase insulation and breathability. Merino wool is annually renewable and biodegradable.

Synthetic environment

Synthetics are made from petrochemicals, a non-renewable fossil fuel. Synthetics often hold odor (the ‘wet dog just back from a run’ smell), are flammable (merino is naturally fire retardant), and have limited breathability.

Traditional wool environment

Chubby postcard sheep that graze on grass all day may be delicious to some, but their wool is bulky, prickly, heavy and hand wash only. Regular sheep have coarse wool and live in the lowlands.

From wool to synthetic to merino

The natural evolution of a better performing fiber.

Traditional wool

Once everyone wore traditional wool outdoors. It was warm of course, but it was also heavy, bulky, took forever to dry and it itched like crazy!

Synthetic

In the 1970s everyone started wearing synthetics fabrics. They had the advantage of being lightweight, easy care and non-itch, but the disadvantage of feeling wet and clammy to touch, sweaty and smelly, and as they were petroleum-based, highly flammable!

The merino solution

Finally, a performance solution with none of the downsides! Merino is super lightweight, soft, non-itchy, non-clammy, warm in the cold and cool in the heat, and has a miraculous ability to resist odor. Because it was made in the mountains rather than in a petrochemical laboratory. It's naturally renewable, recyclable and biodegradable.