MERINO WOOL: NATURAL LUXURY CREATED BY THE WOOLMARK COMPANY

MERINO WOOL: NATURAL LUXURY CREATED BY THE WOOLMARK COMPANY

Who is The Woolmark Company?

The Woolmark Company: What we do MARKETING RESOURCES Advice and support on all aspects of traditional and digital marketing for our partners TRADE AND RETAIL EDUCATION Technical and retail training aimed at educating on all attributes of wool, including performance benefits MERINO WOOL KNOWLEDGE BASE Our staff has a deep understanding of the Merino wool industry and comes from a variety of disciplines, including textile science, fashion design, veterinary science, and agricultural economics SOURCING Our network of international offices can facilitate introductions to suitable global wool supply chain partners TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS Access to The Woolmark Company s seasonal product development innovations

What is wool? Wool is a natural body fiber, made of the protein Keratin, and primarily comes from sheep. The body hair of many other animals (e.g.: goats, camels, alpacas) are chemically similar. 4 FACT Human hair, although 2 3 times thicker, is made from the same naturally occurring protein.

Australian Merino wool There are around 71 million sheep in Australia producing 341M kg of greasy wool worth AU$2.7billion Approximately 75% of Australian sheep are the Merino breed Merino wool is renowned for its fineness and natural properties Merino sheep grow the wool fiber used mainly in apparel 60% of all apparel wool (< 24.5 um), and around 80-90% of the FINE apparel wool (<19.5 um) is produced in Australia 5

Why Merino wool?

Eco-credentials of wool Natural Merino is an entirely natural fiber grown year-round by Australia s 71 million Merino sheep, consuming a simple blend of water, air, sunshine and grass. Biodegradable Unlike most man-made fibers, when Merino fiber is disposed of, it naturally decomposes back into the earth in a matter of years. Renewable Every year Australian Merino sheep produce a new fleece, making Merino wool a completely renewable fiber source.

Merino wool benefits S h a p e r e te n ti on E a s y c a r e N a tu r a l l y s a fer fabric Merino fiber has a natural elasticity meaning it stretches with the wearer, and then returns to its natural shape. Many Merino products can be machine washable and tumbledried. Merino fibers naturally absorb UV radiation, and are also naturally fire resistant. N a tu r a l c om fort A n ti - s ta ti c Merino fibers are finer than traditional wool, so they feel luxuriously soft next to the skin. The ability to dissipate static electricity means that Merino garments have a reduced attraction to lint and fluff.

Merino wool performance properties Breath a b i l ity Temperatu r e C ontr ol Durability The scientific term for breathability is moisture buffering. Moisture buffering refers to the fabric s capacity to absorb moisture vapor from the microclimate above the skin and release it again if the humidity drops. Merino fiber has a natural crimp which provides Merino garments with superior insulation and breathability. The Merino wool fiber can be bent up to 20,000 times without breaking: making a lasting garment and reducing land-fill. Therm al R e g ul a ti on O d or R e s ista n c e Sweating is nature s temperature regulator Merino s process of vapor transfer keeps muscles cool and able to work at higher intensity levels. Merino wool s structure and moisture absorption properties reduce the tendency for build-up of body odors. Its complex chemical structure locks in odor molecules, only releasing them during washing.

Merino wool close-up: luxury meets performance

Sizing-up: not all wool is the same Wool is measured in microns Micron (μm) is the measurement of the diameter of a fiber and represents one-millionth of a meter Wool fineness depends on breeding and genetics Synthetic fiber fineness depends on the spinerette size Lower micron numbers will result in a smoother and softer hand feel Wool above 30μm will tend to offer a scratchy and harsh hand feel Merino wool micron classifications: Ultrafine <16.5 micron Superfine <18.5 micron Medium 20-22 micron Strong 23-25 micron

Merino wool compared to other fibers Fine wool, like Merino wool, is comparable to cashmere, in terms of size. The fineness of Merino wool makes it very soft and smooth to touch. Image courtesy of Alpaca Journal.

A performance fiber Looking closely at the Merino wool fiber, each performance characteristic is attributed to a specific section of its complex structure.

Moisture management Merino fiber can absorb up to 35% of its dry weight in moisture vapor, meaning you stay fresher for longer. In hot climates or during strenuous exercise, a Merino wool garment close to the skin actively transfers moisture vapor molecules away from the body. This makes the wearer less clammy and the vapor is less likely to form sweat droplets on the skin s surface.

Wool s moisture management compared to other fibers

Temperature regulation The wool fibers grow in a natural wave pattern called crimp. This crimped structure allows for air to become trapped inside the fabric for superior insulation from both heat and cold. Finer wool has more obvious crimp For insulation from heat, to keep the wearer cool, the fabric should be light-weight with a smooth, clean surface For insulation from cold, to keep the wearer warm, the fabric should offer bulk as well as a nonporous structure The structure and treatment of the fabric will dictate how the wool manages temperature

Merino wool overview Merino wool is well-known as a luxury fiber because of its natural beauty and inherent performance characteristics. Renewable Biodegradable Natural Comfortable Soft Warm/cool Dry Comfort Drape Visually Appealing Versatile Many different uses Easy to Wear Flame protection UV protection Safety Easy Care Durable Soil repellent Wrinkle recovery Machine washable Safe

The Woolmark Company: Contacts ANGELA DOMSITZ Key Account Manager, Eastern USA Tel: +1-347-767-3160 Mob: +1 347-371-2689 Email: Angela.Domsitz@wool.com SARAH SCHLENGER Key Account Manager, Western USA Mob: +1 917-544-0249 Email: Sarah.Schlenger@wool.com MICHELLE A. LEE Director, Americas Tel: +1-347-767-3160 Mob: +1-917-868-6512 Email: Michelle.Lee@wool.com GEORGIE MOSMAN Marketing Manager, Americas Tel: +1-347-767-3160 Mob: +1 917-435-1007 Email: Georgie.Mosman@wool.com

woolmark.com merino.com Whilst The Woolmark Company Pty Ltd and its employees, officers and contractors and any contributor to this material ( us or we ) have used reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in this material is correct and current at the time of its publication, it is your responsibility to confirm its accuracy, reliability, suitability, currency and completeness for use for your purposes. To the extent permitted by law, we exclude all conditions, warranties, guarantees, terms and obligations expressed, implied or imposed by law or otherwise relating to the information contained in this material or your use of it and will have no liability to you, however arising and under any cause of action or theory of liability, in respect of any loss or damage (including indirect, special or consequential loss or damage, loss of profit or loss of business opportunity), arising out of or in connection with this material or your use of it. Copyright The Woolmark Company Pty Limited 2015. All rights reserved. This work is copyright. Except as permitted under Copyright Law no part of this publication may be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the specific written permission of the copyright owner. Neither may information be stored electronically in any form whatsoever without such permission. In the UK, Eire, Hong Kong and India the Woolmark and Woolmark Blend symbols are certification trade works.