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WHY MERINO?Chocolate Fish Health warning!This is where we get interminably boring (but right) about why Merino wool is by far the best fabric for all your clothing - not just outdoor gear! Scientific tests carried out by the Hohenstein Institute in Germany, the Ergonomics Unit at the Polytechnic Institute of Wales, and the CSIRO in Australia support anecdotal evidence that Superfine Merino provides the wearer with superior overall climate control and moisture absorption than synthetics. Studies have also confirmed that merino offers higher natural UV protection than many other fibres including cotton. Well-known for its warmth, it is less well known that the same properties makes Merino the idea fabric for hot weather. The merino works as a condition buffer; in the heat cooling the body initially through managing the build up moisture vapour internally, keeping the wearer drier for longer. Then, by not clinging to the skin even when wet, the fabric allows the skin to still do it's job through sweating and cooling the body.
In the opinion of Andy Kirkpatrick, merino wool is the most advanced natural and robust insuraltion on the planet. In an article for Planet Fear he said: New Zealand Merino fibres are long, strong, flexible and extremely fine. It is these distinctive characteristics that make New Zealand Merino so soft and comfortable against the skin. Merino provides insulation, moisture management, breathability, odour-resistance, stain-resistance, anti-static properties, flame resistance, comfort, and a natural degree of sun protection. To be classed as "Superfine" the micron count of the fibre must be 19µ or less. It is only in this micron count range that Merino wool becomes supersoft, and ideal for wearing next to the skin. There is now an even finer micron count available, but as with fabric weight (measured in grams per square metre) there is a point at which durability is lost, which is why we stick to Superfine/190gsm for all our baselayer range. A micron count below 16µ is only suitable for babywear or for mixing with other fibres such as silk or cashmere, clothing ranges for which durability is not required. What's so special about New Zealand Merino wool? The Merino sheep has been bred for its wool for over 2000 years and has many different strains around the world, but the world's best merino fibre comes from a small Merino population bred in isolation in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. A Merino farm is typically 3,000-8,000 hectares in size and there are approximately only three sheep per hectare. New Zealand Merino, which is unrivalled in softness, purity and strength is therefore a very rare commodity.
Won't these new natural fibres, like bamboo, hemp and cellulose-based fabrics do the job just as well?In a word - No. Whilst these fibres may be good in hot weather, none of them are a capable of managing moisture in the way Merino does. Nor will they regulate your body temperature, keeping you warm when it's cold, cool when it's hot. Neither will they keep you warm once they get wet. Also, the nature of these fabrics is not "elastic", so a close-fitting base-layer in these fabrics will not move with your body, restricting movement.
Bamboo clothing – relatively new to the market, can be seen advertised as "thermal". It isn't. It has far higher absorbency even than cotton, the down side of which is that it takes far longer to dry. Bad news if you get wet and it's cold. There's an old saying among people who go out in the mountains: "cotton kills". Bamboo won't do you any favours either.
New Zealand Merino is one of the purest, most ecological fibres. Only environmentally responsible, energy-efficient and safe production methods are used in its manufacture. New Zealand farmers use scientific land management techniques, and pay careful attention to flock rotation, animal welfare and the environment. Sheep are raised in a clean, green, unpolluted climate - natural advantages that enable them to consistently grow superior wool. No internationally banned pesticides are used on New Zealand sheep farms; and since 1993, New Zealand's already very low pesticide levels have been cut in half, making New Zealand's sheep one of the world's greenest animal husbandry systems.
This is the reason that, to maximise profit, some of the top brand names in Outdoor Clothing have moved production of their merino garments wholly or in part to China. Chocolate Fish brings you the real thing; simple, quality New Zealand Merino garments made in New Zealand, at sensible prices. We hope you will support and appreciate these New Zealand companies as we do. With regard to climate change, there has been little research on greenhouse gas emission and carbon footprinting specific to Merino farming and there is no calculator by which farmers can work out their carbon footprint. However logically, large-scale extensive farming comapres favourably with oil-based synthetics and other more intensive natural fibre productions, such as cotton. What is certain is that wool is more energy-efficient than synthetics. A Life Cycle Assessment showed that Merino farms use much less energy to produce a kilogram of fibre than synthetic manufacturers, and this includes exporting to the other side of the world. Merino is therefore ahead of synthetics in being environmentally sustainable.
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