Wilderness Running Company

Sometimes, the most radical ideas are also the oldest and simplest. What if all the attempts to develop synthetic performance fabrics amount to little more than a fool’s errand? What if nature itself solved the problem millennia ago? That was the fundamental insight of a young man named Jeremy Moon when he had a fateful 1994 encounter in his native New Zealand with a merino wool farmer who had developed a prototype insulating underwear he called Ice Breakers.

It wasn’t exactly a new insight that wool can be an excellent basis for performance apparel. After all, wool has long been a staple of endurance athletes for its terrific dual ability to regulate body temperature and naturally resist odor. But, in the mid-90s, building performance apparel from wool absolutely did count as a revolutionary concept, since virtually all the large gear makers were dedicated to their elaborate synthetic concoctions.

In this, “the age of Jordan,” the playbook of many of the established mainstream companies was heavy on image while the product itself was, arguably, a secondary consideration. In a reversal of this logic, Moon took merino wool fiber as his foundation and set about building an organization capable of maximizing its market potential. It wasn’t always easy, but, a decade plus later, it’s fair to say Moon’s project is a success.

And what is Icebreaker doing to ensure their continued success? Plenty, as it turns out.

Consistent with their New Zealand roots and first-principles devotion to the fiber, Icebreaker has taken their enthusiasm for merino wool to borderline fanatical heights. Their supplier relationships are directly with dedicated farmers, most of whom have operated for generations in the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s South Island. The sheep from this region deal with many of the same adverse conditions as a dedicated trail runner — Icebreaker sheep even look like trail runners compared with road running sheep — and yield a fine, soft, strong fiber, which is much better than lower grade wool, not to mention plastic-based synthetics.

Icebreaker is so invested in merino wool that they have developed a way for you to track down the origins of your particular Icebreaker garment. They call it a baacode and it is included on every Icebreaker tag. Armed with this code, you can find out from the baacode website which farm, or station, is home to the sheep that produced the wool in your garment. You can see their living conditions and meet the farmers who care for them. (You can get a demo code at the site to see how it works.) It is a cool and informative feature.

Icebreaker demonstrates a similar devotion to excellence in product design and throughout the rest of their supply chain. The result is a range of base layers and other technical apparel that looks great, performs wonderfully, and is environmentally responsible. Sure, Icebreaker garments tend to cost a bit more than synthetic alternatives, but there is never any serious doubt about what is driving those additional costs or whether they are ultimately worth it.

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Tags: base layer, baselayer, Icebreaker