Frequently Asked Questions cont'd...

6. How does Merino compare with Synthetics?
   High quality New Zealand merino wool beats all the synthetics hands-down when it comes to both performance in the widest possible variety of weather and climate conditions. In addition, clothing made from merino wool have a far lower environmental impact than those made from synthetic. There's more information here on various types of textile fibres, including those often used for mixing (we call it adulterating) merino to make it cheaper to produce.

7. Why don't you use organic merino wool?
   So little in the way of chemicals are used to treat New Zealand merino sheep, that the extra cost simply doesn't warrant it. It's one of the reasons we prefer New Zealand Merino. Australian merino, to be legally described as "organic", cannot be treated with chemicals to treat for insect infestation and flystrike. This means that almost invariably the sheep have to be "mulesed". It is entirely up to the customer to decide for themselves whether they prefer their wool to be organic and therefore from Australian sheep that have been mulesed, or whether they prefer their wool from New Zealand merino sheep who have been treated with the minimum allowed chemical repellant. In New Zealand, pesticide use is very tightly controlled and only the safest (according to international standards) can be used. For more information click here

8. Should I allow for any shrinkage when buying Chocolate Fish base layers eg. Taranaki? I can't find any reference to shrinkage on your web site but my understanding is that wool tends to shrink when washed, at least for the first time or two. But does it? And if so, how much? I made the mistake of buying a cheap merino top but after the first wash it shrunk so much it was useless - just an expensive cleaning rag!
   In our experience, as long as our merino is washed at 30deg on a wool cycle, using something like Dri Pak's Liquid Soap Flakes, NikWax Woolwash or Ecover for Delicates - definitely not ordinary soap flakes, powder or those eco-ball thingies and definitely no fabric conditioner, and then dried away from direct heat - on a washing line or hanger for preference, it doesn't seem to shrink at all. It shouldn't as the fabric is pre-shrunk before being made into garments. We don't tumble dry as a drier can be too hot and anyway it wears your clothes out faster :'( There is some Merino gear out there that shrinks like mad - probably because it's cheap stuff that hasn't been spun well and then not pre-shrunk. Those are the processes that determine whether the fabric is machine washable or not.

9. My polyprop outdoor gear smells terrible after only a short time, even after it's been washed. Won't merino be even worse?
   No, just the opposite. The smell you get with synthetics is the result of the build up of bacteria and fungus on the fabric that feeds on your sweat. The only way the manufacturers can stop manmade fibres from developing unpleasant odour is to add yet more chemicals to them. Because Merino absorbs this moisture before releasing it, the sweat isn't lying on the surface growing mould and bacteria. Merino will start to smell eventually, but test show that this can take days rather than the hours it takes for synthetics to start smelling unpleasant. These smells also wash out of Merino where they can stay with synthetics.

10. Will my Merino clothes keep their shape?
    Yes. Ours will. Merino, unlike some other natural fibres, such as cashmere, is naturally elastic. It is the nature of Merino fibre to "bounce back". In addition, our MAPP merino fabric is a double-yarn jersey. This gives it extra smoothness and even better shape-retaining qualities than standard single-yarn jersey fabrics. It doesn't need any artificial additives such as lycra to help it keep its shape. Some manufacturers are adding synthetics to merino, but one has to ask why?

11. Aren't Merino clothes difficult to take care of?
    No. On the contrary, they're extremely easy to care for. Take a look at our Merino care page .

12. Why don't you offer a paper catalogue?
    Because we are an internet company. We think paper catalogues are a waste of resources and not environmentally friendly, and also to produce one costs a lot of money, the cost of which would have to be added to the cost of our clothing. As above, anything we spend in overheads has to be factored in to our pricing, so you, the customer would be paying for it. We'd rather keep our prices down.

13. Wouldn't getting your gear made in the UK reduce the environmental impact?
    How could it? The environmental impact of bringing in the fabric, or even the yarn or unspun fleece, is exactly the same as bringing in the finished garments. To pretend otherwise is absolulute nonsense. As a company we simply try to keep our carbon footprint to a minimum and offset what we can.

14. Why can't the wool be produced here in the UK?
    It's too wet so Merino sheep bred for fine wool don't thrive here. Merino sheep do not like wet feet or wet coats. They also need dry pasture. UK pasture is too soft and lush, and the fleece produced would be too coarse be used for next-to-skin clothing. No doubt it would be possible by careful selective breeding to develop a Merino strain that would do well here, but the EU gives no support to farmers for wool growing.

15. Do you belong to any carbon-reduction program?
    Yes. We found one that offers REAL benefit in terms of reduction of carbon footprint. Instead of a commercial company run from expensive and carbon-heavy offices based in London, we contribute to Bradford Council's Environmental Action Trust who plant trees AND look after them until they're properly established, here in the UK.

16. Is Merino as warm as synthetic fibre?
    Warmer in fact. Merino is so warm because millions of tiny pockets of air in the fabric trap air and lock in body heat. Moreover Merino has the ability to absorb and release moisture to cool or warm the body, thus regulating temperature. You'll warm up quickly but not overheat due to the exceptional breathability of the fabric. Synthetic fibres such as polypropylene or polyester are made from melting, extruding and setting a petro -chemical based product similar to plastic. The fibre can't breathe, absorb or release moisture. When knitted into a fabric they are limited to one-way moisture movement with limited breathability, which can create a chill zone when moisture sits on the outside of the fabric.

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