About Merino
Wool
A special,
fine grade of wool that comes from Merino Sheep. It has all of
the characteristics classic to wool, but what makes Merino wool
different is the luxurious softness and comfort provided by the fine
diameter Merino fibers. Unlike traditional wool, Merino wool
does not itch and is shrink-treated to hold its size and shape even
after repeated washing. The superfine merino wool is very soft
and not itchy - especially when the thickness of the fiber is less than
19 microns. New Zealand Merino Wool is particularly exclusive,
not only for its super fine quality, but also for the length of the
fibre which adds a measure of durablilty to the product.
Useful Facts on New Zealand
Merino Wool
- Merino
wool fibre is measured in micron. Merino wool fibre ranges
from 13-24 micron which when you compare this with the average piece
of human hair which is 60 micron then you realise just how fine Merino
wool is.
- There
are approximately 700 Merino wool growers in New Zealand producing
on average 8,000 ton of Merino wool fibre annually.
- The major
market for New Zealand Merino wool is Europe followed by Asia,
USA and New Zealand.
Looks better for longer
- Customers
may not care directly that New Zealand Merino wool is measurably
longer and stronger than other Merino suppliers, but they will
certainly appreciate the resulting garment's durability and ability
to retain its smooth soft surface for longer as a result.
- The longer
fibres give a more even appearance to the yarn, which consequently,
is less likely to pill.
Oh so soft
- Customers
quickly discover New Zealand Merino wool garments to be exceptionally
soft.
- People
invariably touch the fibre again and again, enjoying its soft luxurious
handle. The garments are sensuously comfortable against the skin - the
fine fibre causes no irritation or prickle.
Exceptional colour
- Fashion
trends for light, natural and pastel colours require an original fibre
of clear, clean whiteness. New Zealand Merino wool outscores
all other Merino wool when tested for brightness and whiteness.
- This characteristic
dramatically increases the colour choices-from natural to vibrant designer
shades - while at the same time providing excellent colour retention
and sharpness.
Merino wool the super absorber
- Merino
wool is a hydroscopic fibre. This means it's capable of absorbing
moisture vapour from the environment while at the same time repelling
liquids. That's unique to Merino wool.
- In technical
terms Merino wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture
before it starts to feel damp. Its regain factor (the amount of water
in the fibre expressed as a percentage of its dry weight) is 17 percent
under standard conditions, compared to between 1-4 % for synthetic fibres.
- The natural
ability to absorb and desorb water vapour contributes to Merino wool's
excellent comfort performance as an apparel fibre.
Warm without weight
- Because
Merino wool fibres are so fine and light it is an ideal fibre
for year round wear.
- Even when
air is cold or damp, a molecular process called 'heat of sorption' releases
heat, which can be felt by the garment wearer. All fibres do this, but
Merino wool does it four times as much as nylon and at least
double this for polyester.
- The natural
crimp of a Merino wool fibre enables it to trap air effectively,
thus insulating the body from the cold.
- For the
wearer of a Merino wool garment, the Merino wool creates
its own microclimate around the body acting as a buffer against changing
conditions and maintaining higher comfort levels.
- Because
Merino wool fibre breathes with the wearer it means there is
no unpleasant 'clammy' sensation and Merino wool garments
can be worn in warm or cool weather.
- Synthetic
fibres don't have this ability, which is why they don't score as well
for comfort.
Odour resistance
- Merino
wool naturally resists the build up of odour.
As a result Merino wool garments don't need washing as
often or as vigorously as synthetics and keep looking good for longer.
- Many extreme
athletes with long term uses for clothing have reported far less odour
build-up using Merino wool clothing, than with man-made fibres,
especially close to the skin.
Wrinkle and wrinkle recovery
- Because
of its natural crimp, Merino wool is highly resilient - in fact,
it can be bent 30,000 times without danger of breaking or damage.
- This natural
elasticity means its 'wrinkle recovery rate' is exceptional especially
in a moist environment like a shower room; wrinkles in a Merino wool
garment will hang out readily.
- Garments
made from New Zealand Merino wool require little if any ironing,
which makes it ideal for travelling.
Resistance to static electricity
- An annoying
consequence of static electricity build up in textile garments is the
clinging of a garment to the body. The natural fibres such as Merino
wool and cotton are relatively free of static problems because their
chemical structures and water-sorbing properties make them good conductors.
- This resistance
to static electricity also means that garments don't rustle with movement
so they are quieter to wear.
Safety
- The least
flammable of fibres, Merino wool is self extinguishing in the
event of a fire therefore it is the safest fibre to have next to your
body.
- The scientific
reasons for Merino wool's fire resistance lie in its unique chemical
composition and its high water absorption.
- Importantly
for wearers of Merino wool garments, Merino doesn't melt
if it comes into contact with flame - unlike most synthetics, Merino
wool won't melt and stick to the skin causing more trauma to the
affected area.
Soiling
- Merino
wool also naturally resists soiling.
- The synthetic
fibres being oil based tend to attract and retain oily soils. Washing,
wearing and dry-cleaning of synthetics leads to a phenomenon called
greying, which is caused by soil build up and absorption of oil contaminants
into the chemical structure of the fibre, particularly during dry-cleaning.
- A further
advantage of Merino wool is that when a garment is soiled the
natural water repellent surface allows time for the spills to be wiped
away before they cause permanent staining.
Natural, renewable fibre
- Merino
wool leaves a very light footprint on the planet - it's a renewable
resource and involves a natural growth process of converting grass into
fibre, in pollution free factories.
- It's also
recyclable and bio-degradable.
- Compare
this with synthetic fibres, which are made from a non renewable resource
and involves the conversion of oil into fibre.
Natural style
- From a
fashion perspective, Merino wool has a multitude of uses and
styles.
- It's ideal
for everything from thermal underwear to sophisticated knitwear, from
stylish men's suits to showerproof overcoats, from baby garments to
rugged sportswear.
- And one
of the best things of all is that it is machine washable too, for easy
care just like synthetics.
Merino Wool information
Merino
New Zealand Limited is a joint venture
company between Merino New Zealand Inc and the New Zealand
Wool Board to market Merino wool under the New Zealand Merino™
brand. Merino New Zealand is based in Christchurch and is dedicated
to the marketing and promotion of New Zealand Merino wool fibre. Launched
in 1995, the Merino™ brand is becoming increasingly well known
in international fashion.
The Brand - The New Zealand
Merino Company Ltd
The
New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) is a joint
venture wool services company combining the production base of New Zealand's
Merino woolgrowers, the marketing and supply chain activities of the
former Merino New Zealand Ltd and the wool selling and logistics
skills of Wrightson Ltd. The Company's Shareholding is held 65%
by New Zealand's Merino growers and 35% by Wrightson Ltd.
The NZM Company handles the majority of New Zealand's Merino clip and
has an outstanding record of brand development and supply chain partnership.
The former
Merino NZ Ltd was formed, with its first annual meeting of growers
in August 1995. Merino New Zealand was an industry development
organisation, dedicated solely to the marketing and promotion of New
Zealand Merino wool fibre.
In September 1996, after commissioned international market research,
the New Zealand Merino brand was launched in Queenstown, New Zealand.
An intense marketing programme over the next two years wove some core
themes together.
High Country to High Fashion
The New
Zealand Merino Company acts as a facilitator to bring the links
in what has been described as the 'High Country to High Fashion' chain.
Results to date have been excellent, with several leading international
fabric manufacturers and knitwear companies committing to use New Zealand
Merino fibre.
The New Zealand Merino Company is working to firmly stamp the
Merino Marque on the international fashion market, through brand partnerships
with leading design houses and established brands. Commercially flexible,
the Marque may be used in a number of ways to suit the marketing needs
of both partners.
Growers are encouraged to participate in the 'fleece to fashion' process.
A number of direct supply linkages have been established, where growers
are contracted to supply agreed amounts of fibre meeting agreed specifications
for a particular manufacturer.
Fine woolled
Merino sheep are run mainly in the high country of the South
Island, clipping around 69,500 bales a year of 24 micron and finer wool
used mainly in the manufacture of knitted and woven apparel.
Marketing and industry development company, The New Zealand Merino
Company Ltd is now operating, following a grower poll confirming
support for the joint venture between Merino NZ Ltd and Wrightson
Ltd.
The 65% grower shareholding is held in a trust, to be transferred to
growers on the disestablishment of the NZ Wool Board.
The
company:
- markets
and promotes Merino wool fibre
- supports
the NZ Merino brand
- manages
the sale of Merino wool fibre through auction, branded contracts, supply
contracts and tender
- promotes
the formation of strategic alliances and partnerships to better customise
the Merino wool clip and services
- undertakes
research and development
Stock and
station companies Reid Farmers and Pyne, Gould Guinness
have combined commercial operations including wool divisions to provide
a service to clients outside the structure.
Merino wool information
Found at
high altitudes, Merino is a mountain sheep producing a very fine
diameter specialty wool fiber with high insulation value. Each Merino
fiber possesses a multitude of technical benefits, including two-way
moisture movement, temperature regulation and breathability.
Unlike
traditional wool, it's lightweight and doesn't itch. Unlike synthetics,
the fibers themselves breathe, absorb and release moisture, and are
completely natural.
Merino effectively combines the benefits of traditional wool and the
benefits of synthetic fabrics. The result is an extremely technical
yet 100% natural fabric that's soft on the skin and is easy to care
for.
New Zealand Wool
New
Zealand is the world's largest producer and
exporter of crossbred wool, and is second only to Australia in
the production and export of all wool. There are approximately
100 wool exporters but 20 account for 90% of exports. In 1998/99, 86
percent (by volume) of the 184,837 tonnes (clean) of wool produced was
exported, 77 percent scoured, and the remainder exported greasy. Fine
wool (<29 micron) made up ten percent of export volume, 28 percent
was medium (29-34 micron), and 62 percent coarse (>34 micron).
All wool
sold in New Zealand is tested at an accredited testing facility,
which provides objective measurements of commercially important characteristics.
This gives New Zealand wool exporters a key competitive advantage,
as they can supply wool which meets buyers' specifications. The characteristics
tested include yield, condition (moisture content), fibre diameter,
colour, length, strength, and bulk.
Traditionally
wool was sold by auction, but there has been a steady decline in the
proportion of wool sold this way. Many farmers now choose to sell wool
directly to private buyers and end-users. Farmers are keen to develop
relationships with processors so they can receive information from end
users and adjust their wool specifications to market requirements.
There are
17 scouring plants in New Zealand. These have rapidly invested in new,
locally developed technology, creating one of the most cost-effective
scouring industries in the world. New Zealand now exports that technology
to other wool-producing and processing countries.
New
Zealand Wool Group drives industry strategy and co-ordinates work
in wool production, research and development, and international marketing.
It is a statutory producer board funded by producer levies on wool sold,
and fulfils its role through a group of subsidiaries:
- Wools
of New Zealand Ltd manages the Wools of New Zealand branding programme
and stimulates international demand for New Zealand wool and wool
products.
- Merino
New Zealand Ltd is a joint venture company between the New Zealand
Wool Group and Merino New Zealand Inc to market merino wool under
the New Zealand Merino™ brand. Merino New Zealand Inc was
formed by merino wool producers to focus on promotion and management
to maximise opportunities for improving returns to fine wool producers.
- Wool
Production Technology Ltd aims to accelerate the technology uptake
by wool growers.
- Wool
Research Organisation of New Zealand Inc (WRONZ) carries out research
and development on ways of using New Zealand wool, and innovative wool
and wool-blend products. WRONZ is an incorporated society governed by
its own directors but works in partnership with the New Zealand Wool
Group.
Choose
your shop:
Back
to top
Copyright
© 1997 - 2006 | New Zealand Nature Company |
