Shop for Icebreaker at The Benchmark Outfitter

Icebreaker

Each merino creates about 5 icebreakers a year. There are 60,000 follicles per square inch of skin, producing over 100 million individual fibres in each fleece. Join the fibres from 5 merinos end to end and you can tie a bow around the world.

Merino is much finer than traditional wool, and is technically more complex than synthetics.

Tiny overlapping scales case the fibre. They're hydrophobic (water resistant), like tiles on a roof. Inside it's a different story - the fibre is highly absorbent.

Icebreaker merino is the most hydrophillic of all fibres and can absorb and release 10x more moisture than synthetics. Each fibre can absorb up to one third of its own weight in moisture without feeling clammy or wet to touch. Your icebreaker can then release this moisture into the atmosphere to keep you feeling warm and dry.

Tips for maintaining your Icebreaker gear:

-Use warm or cool machine wash on normal cycle.
-Wash separately first (after 2-3 days' use), then wash with like colors.
-Wash on a normal cycle with denim or other hard fabrics to remove fluffing.
-Avoid using fabric softener (your Icebreaker couldn't be any softer) or detergent with bleach.
-Don't tumble dry. Best to dry your Icebreaker flat in the shade or on the clothesline.