To celebrate the launch of our Merino Wool Crewneck Jumper, we commissioned Sam Binstead and Mat Spade to take them for a spin. We've also answered a few of your questions.
Wool represents a new chapter for Original Fibres. And while an uncompromising approach to quality is in the DNA of every product we make, we appreciate that you might want a bit more context on why we're adding another fabric to the collection.
Below, we have a Q&A that covers a lot of the questions we've already been asked. We also commissioned two of our favourite clothing connoiseurs, Sam Binstead and Mat Spade, to test drive the Merino Crewnecks for a photoshoot in a pottery studio in Sheffield.
So, these are the first 100% wool products in the Original Fibres collection. Is linen still the focus?
Despite introducing our Merino wool crewnecks, linen still remains fundamental to our mission of creating stylish, low impact clothing that stands the test of time. Getting the world wearing more linen across more seasons and more environments will remain the priority of our business.
Linen is a wonder fabric that can do so much more than most people realise, but that doesn’t mean it can do everything. The introduction of wool represents a new pillar for the brand. Another low-impact, natural fabric that fills a gap that linen can't. You can read more about our fabrics here.
And what does wool do that linen can't?
Knitwear, particularly chunky crewnecks, is one thing linen doesn’t do very well. Wool knitwear has always been the pinnacle for us.
When we design a new product, we always ask ourselves two questions: how is this product different? And why is it better? That design philosophy keeps us honest and means we never use linen for the sake of using linen, just because we technically can.
Wool has been staring us in face as a natural expansion of our collection. A bolster to the layering philosophy we strongly endorse throughout the colder months. Linen and wool aren't without precedent as a pairing either. For centuries, they were the primary fabrics used throughout European wardrobes.
Together, we like to think of them as the original fibres.
How did you go about choosing the wool you’ve used for this inaugural collection?
For starters, you can’t hold yourselves out to be fabric specialists without having a stringent selection process. For Original Fibres, that process extends in two directions. The first is the quality and provenance of the fabric itself, the second is the impact of making the fabric.
Which is why we’re particularly excited to have found such a special wool that satisfies both of those criteria. It’s a 100% extrafine merino wool made by Zegna Barruffa and the only extrafine merino yarn made entirely in Italy.
What does extrafine mean and why is it important?
Extrafine merino doesn’t mean the fabric is light. A knit's weight is determined by the number of ends used – three in our case for a substantial jumper. Extrafine means the yarns used are particularly refined. A micron count of 19.5 to be precise. So, while the jumpers have substance, they’re also extremely soft and have a very clean, luxurious texture.
We’re really chuffed with how the new Crewneck Jumpers have turned out. We can't wait for them to become a mainstay in your wardrobe for years to come.
