An innovative new knit for outdoor wear brand Patagonia

The environmentally-conscious brand has developed a new fabric that promotes sustainability in Patagonia’s grasslands.

Outdoor and sports-wear brand Patagonia is already very involved with environmental activism, and its eco-conscious product line is a testament to this. Now the brand is introducing a new sustainable fabric: the Merino Air Baselayer.

The merino wool knit is lightweight, breathable and designed for high performance activity in extremely cold conditions. The wool is responsibly sourced from Patagonia’s regenerative grazing programme, the aim of which is to stop the degradation of the grasslands in Patagonia. The programme ensures sheep graze in a way that promotes the growth of grass and simultaneously keeps the flock well nourished in order to produce quality merino wool.

The new fabric is a combination of the merino wool and 100 per cent recycled Capilene polyester fibres. The two materials are spun together using Patagonia’s patented spinning technology, which produces a yarn with higher loft (thickness) and insolation than standard wools. For the manufacture of the garments, a new whole garment-knitting machine is used to directly knit the yarn into a seamless form with minimal waste. In the end, the uneven surface of the zig-zag patterned knit gives the fabric its breathability and the bulky fibres of the yarn retain heat.