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Wool has
protected our species from the elements for over 12,000 years. You can
bend a single strand over 20,000 times, and stretch it up to 40% of it's
original length. The scaled surface of each fiber grabs on to its
neighbors, which ensures the longevity of loft that traps warm air. Wool
fibers absorb up to 30% of their weight in water into their hollow cores
without feeling clammy. Excess moisture wrings out with slight pressure.
Since water retains an amazing amount of energy, wearing a garment that
has equalized with your body's environment will actually shield you from
sudden changes in the temperature. The Keratin proteins of wool are
naturally flame resistant, a bonus for wilderness cooking.
Many manufacturers have shied away from
wool because they perceive synthetic fibers as easier to maintain. When
you consider that wool hinders the growth of odor causing bacteria, and sheds the dirt and oils that necessitate cleaning, you're likely to
launder it less anyway. Oddly enough, washing actually improves the loft
that makes our Wool Blanket Shirt,
Boreal Shirt, Jackpine Vest,
and Camp Coat the natural choices for
your our outdoor adventures.
We buy wool blended blankets (80%
reprocessed wool, 20% nylon fibers) direct from the mill, then drive
them to the laundromat. Each one gets washed on hot, followed by a
roasting in the dryer. This process of 'fulling' creates extra
loft and increases the density of the fabric (and makes mounds of
lint). It also removes the linear shrinkage common in natural fibers. We
use a blended textile because 100% wool is subject to a loss of strength
when wet, and has a rougher texture. Our fabric is soft enough to
contact bare skin, yet strong enough to keep it's shape when you're
scrambling back into a canoe.
Each coat, vest, or shirt will gain
character with age, but retain its original performance. All of our
grommets and snaps are set in reinforced nylon webbing, and our cord
locks and draw cords can be serviced in the field. We offer field repair
kits for each item, so you can patch them up as they age. We build it right so
you can wear it daily, wear
it everywhere, and wear it in. Not wear it out.
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