Icebreaker
Icebreaker
Type of Equipment
Merino Wool Clothing, specialising in base layers
Sports
Mountaineering, skiing, cycling, running, hiking, snowboarding, climbing. Anything that you get sweaty doing
What We Like?
Icebreaker were the first guys on the scene to really DO merino as a point of difference. Various Kiwi’s had been prancing round pretending to play rugby and wandering around in Merino underlayers for decades before it hit the mainstream. Much in the same way rough tough Aussie men were cutting around in their lovely soft, yet manly sheepskin booties. Until Ugg turned up, ensuring they were the go to winter footwear for any girl about town, leading to both the emasulacation of many Aussie men and coincidentally a huge rise in the number of frostbite injuries suffered on the continent.
IB really started the trend for the merino underlayer and have had a significant impact on the outdoors market. In simple terms the reduction of plastics and non-natural fibres that were being used as base layers before is in large part due to the trend that IB have championed and whilst its not cheap. The stuff lasts and lasts and lasts.
Footprint Free Ethos?
Sustainability
Most Icebreaker kit is made using Merino Wool which is fully traceable, through their well published transparency programme, and being a grown on the back and belly of a sheep means its very sustainable.
Traceability
IB have just had a huge campaign to highlight the traceability of their wool. Where it comes from and where it is made. Check out their website https://nz.icebreaker.com/en/transparency.html for more details.
Ethos
A large part of IB’s marketing is understandably centred around the sustainable material they use to primarily make their clothing and they are understandably proud of this fact. As a brand they were one of the first to really drive the merino wool base layer movement and it has served them well ever since. Their recent transparency survey is testament to this.
Materials
Mostly from sheeps.
Where could they improve?
Whilst it is excellent stuff, its not cheap! A good base layer will set you back some serious dollar, however I have had IB base layers now for over 10 years which have lasted very well.
Be aware that the thinner the layer weight i.e 150 compared to 200 weight the more fragile the material
Some of their products are not completely merino, understandable when you look at some of their outer layers and it is clearly marked on the website and the clothing. However all they talk about is wool so its easy to assume that everything is made from sustainable materials.
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