Merino goes for an incredible ride
The Wallaroo – a kangaroo able to adapt to hot and cold conditions – lends its name to Sugoi’s new high-performance range
In Japanese, ‘sugoi’ means incredible and that is one way to describe the new range of Sugoi athletic apparel made from Australian Merino wool.
AWI and Sugoi, a leading sports-clothing manufacturer, have teamed up to introduce the new ‘Wallaroo’ line of Merino activewear, and retailers across North America are clamouring to order the revolutionary new line.
For 20 years, Sugoi has produced great-looking, high-performance athletic apparel for runners, cyclists, triathletes and fitness enthusiasts. The company has won a number of awards, most notably for its elite cycling shorts, recognised three years in a row by Bicycling/Mountain Bike (US), What Mountain Bike (UK) and Mountain Bike (Germany). Sugoi is the largest manufacturer of running and cycling apparel in Canada and the third-largest manufacturer of running apparel in the US.
This is the first time in Sugoi’s history that the company has used natural fibre in one of its lines, having favoured synthetics in the past, and Sugoi’s president Stan Mavis is pleased with retail demand for the products.
“We’ve already had fantastic bookings and the response has truly been spectacular,” Mr Mavis says. “The buyers were surprised that it was so luxurious and had almost a cashmere feel to it.”
Sugoi focuses on exceptional fit, details and reliable performance, and looks to develop technical solutions for cardiovascular sports. After much research, Merino was chosen because it is both a natural and technical fibre, as well as for its soft feel. Athletes also appreciate the breathability and durability that Merino offers.
“AWI introduced us to a special enzyme wash, which can be used to take out the coarser fibres and produce a more uniform and consistent product that washes and wears very well,” he says. “North America is a washer/dryer society, so it was important that the product be washer/dryer friendly.”
To represent Merino’s key properties, the new collection is fittingly named Wallaroo, after the type of kangaroo most adaptable to hot and cold temperatures. Merino has excellent thermal regulation and moisture movement, to keep the wearer comfortable in all conditions, even when they are wet.
Stuart McCullough, director of AWI’s North American operations, is enthusiastic about the new line and how it is already changing common misperceptions about Merino worldwide.
“AWI is constantly looking for ways to spread the word that Merino is not the itchy, scratchy product it used to be,” says Mr McCullough, who spearheaded the Sugoi partnership with AWI. “We are working hard to ensure that we extend the retailers’ adoption of new Merino wool products featuring luxurious feel, softness and easy-care properties.”
Mr McCullough also says Sugoi is the perfect company to showcase Merino as a high-performance fibre. “Given Sugoi has a reputation for developing high-tech activewear, it is a company that major North American retailers study as a cutting-edge innovator,” he says. “Therefore, the fact that the Wallaroo line is already enjoying strong retail demand here is extremely positive for Merino.”
The Wallaroo collection features two different weights of Merino and seven styles of men’s and women’s apparel. Some pieces are intended to be used for base-layering while others can be worn independently, depending on the activity. The new collection is consistent with other Sugoi lines, featuring the same look and feel and performance-oriented stitching. With AWI’s expert assistance, even the colours are the same, and nothing was lost in the transition from synthetics to natural fibre.
To help market the products and drive additional awareness for Merino, Sugoi also gave retailers Merino-branded bags to display the product in stores.
“This is a brand new category for us,” Mr Mavis says. “We currently have a 60 per cent adoption rate, which is the most successful booking we’ve ever had for a new category. And that’s worldwide, out of approximately 2000 accounts that we handle. That’s incredible in any language.”
More information: www.sugoi.com
Image: Australian Merino cycling wear from Sugoi's new 'Wallaroo' range.
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