Latest fabric innovations in Merino wool at Outdoor Retailer trade show

Woolmark continues to cement wool’s rightful place in the sports and outdoor sector. The company presented the latest fabric innovations in Merino wool at this year’s Outdoor Retailer trade show, January 21 to 24, 2015.

With next-to-skin Merino wool apparel enjoying commercial success across the globe, The Woolmark Company has placed a greater focus on outerwear, with an innovative woven fabric the standout of the exhibit.

Made from 100 percent Australian Merino wool, MerinoPerformTM WP delivers a unique, high-performance machine-washable fabric which is resistant to wind and rain. Using the latest fiber stretching technology, the wool is pre-stretched and spun into yarn before being woven into MerinoPerformTM WP.

“Research and development have always been an integral part of The Woolmark Company’s operations,” says The Woolmark Company Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer Rob Langtry.

“MerinoPerformTM WP represents a significant development in the sports and outdoor sector, creating a fabric ideal for outer-wear apparel. The fabric super-contracts during the dyeing and finishing process which creates a highly compact fabric with enhanced water and wind resistance.”

In addition, lightweight knitted Merino wool fabrics for spring/summer and indoor use will also be on display. The Woolmark Company is working to spread the message that wool is also a fiber for warmer climates and indoor activity.

“Wool is a trans-seasonal, high-performance fiber and the natural choice for sports and outdoor wear,” says Mr Langtry. “Next-to-skin Merino wool apparel provides a high level of comfort, suitable for those seeking a sense of wellbeing in a broad range of leisure and sporting activities and wool’s natural properties such as moisture management and odor resistance make it a fiber of choice for athletes.”

Lightweight wool wadding for jackets were on show, with wool-filled apparel products becoming increasingly important in the sports and outdoor markets – an area traditionally dominated by synthetics, feather and down products. The Woolmark Company has introduced a new Woolmark Specification for wool-filled products in response to these changing market trends.

The Specification will now allow for these manufacturers and garment makers to carry the Woolmark or Woolmark Blend logo on suitable qualifying products, with a range of stock tickets and labels that are available for garments.

Other significant developments and innovations from The Woolmark Company’s MerinoPerformTM brand partners, exhibited at Outdoor Retailer include:

Warp knits
Merino wool blend wovens
Laminated mid and outer-layer fabrics
Merino wool denim
An ultrafine, 14 micron, Merino wool fabric
Lightweight jersey for fitness