Merino Soft
The Merino Soft range utilises unique production and treatment methods to deliver the softest, most luxurious Merino garments.
To continue to add a further touch of luxury to the feeling of Merino against the skin, the Merino Soft range collates a variety of technologies and products together to deliver unprecedented softness.
Fine-tip wool
Launched at Pitti Filati, the fine-ends yarns and knitwear products offer a naturally softer touch via rigorously controlled wool selection.
The range was developed between AWI and the Western Australia Department of Agriculture, and is being heavily incorporated into northern hemisphere 2007 winter lines.
Aloe Vera Merino
Applying aloe vera into an already soft Merino garment range has pioneered the concept of ‘wearable skin care’. Micro-capsules containing the natural moisturiser open across the life of the garment to keep it, and your skin, as soft, comfortable and fresh as possible.
Lambswool Merino
A chemical treatment is applied to wool in order to soften the microscopic scale structure on the surface of Merino fibre.
The resulting product has a ‘touch-feel’ of two microns finer than the original fibre and delivers this softening without losing any of the strength or other desirable characteristics of Merino wool.
Lambswool Merino also has the added benefit of being particularly receptive to colour applications, allowing a bright, bold palette.
Ultra-light Merino
During the production of ultra-light Merino the wool fibres are blended with a water-soluble plastic to increase the mass of the garment.
Following knitting, a final ‘wet finish’ removes the plastic from the fibres, but the bulk remains, thereby creating a garment just as warm and soft, but 30% lighter than other wool products.
Softwool
Developed with three of the biggest names in the business, AWI has treated post scoured / carbonised wool with a softening agent called Basolan to create Softwool products for 2006 northern hemisphere winter.
South Ocean (the world’s biggest knitwear manufacturer), Novetex (one of the world’s biggest spinners) and Reward Ningbo (China’s largest top maker) are producing the range with AWI.
Mercerised Merino
By adding a chemical treatment to remove the scale structure from the surface of the wool fibre, mercerised wool becomes glossier, softer and more luxurious.
The process also ensures that garments are fully machine-washable and can blend easily with noble fibres such as silk or cashmere.
Aqua Merino
A hydrophilic agent is applied during the final finishing of Aqua Merino products which give it unique ‘cool feel’ property.
Aqua Merino fabrics are able to absorb a small amount of moisture into the fibre (from the atmosphere) to give suiting a cooler, though not damp, feel. Applied on active wear Aqua Merino allows sweat to be evenly distributed across the fabric and evaporate quickly.
Shetland Merino
Taking the look of traditional ‘rugged style’ wool garments, but applying a chemical treatment to increase their softness to touch, the Shetland range gives hundreds of years of wool-wearing a modern comfort.
See more information at merinoinnovation.com >> resources >> AWI textile innovation.