The Wool Lab Sport, part of the Spring/Summer 2018 edition of The Wool Lab, showcases the latest innovative, commercially available Merino wool fabrics and yarns for a mix of both performance and athleisure apparel.

Active and Athleisure

The Wool Lab Sport connects designers directly with manufacturers, and extensive research has been undertaken by The Woolmark Company’s global network to develop two themes, suitable for all seasons, dedicated entirely to sportswear to inspire and influence trends.

Active theme is represented by the most technically performing wool fabrics and yarns, mixed with technical fibres, to ensure the best results during physical activity. Examples of this theme highlight the technology enriched with the most innovative finishing treatments, suitable to match every climate and discipline, indoor and outdoor.

Athleisure blurs the line between fashion and activewear, with the latter being used in a non-active, casual way with a modern, stylish look. Merino wool's ability to combine comfort and flexibility with casual elegance positions it well to cater to this growing market.

Merino wool

Merino wool has positioned itself as a versatile, multifunctional fibre in the sportswear sector thanks to its unique natural features and benefits, such as breathability, temperature control, moisture management, elasticity and resistance to odour.

“The Woolmark Company continues to actively cement Merino wool’s presence in the sportswear and activewear markets, collaborating with leading manufacturers and brands to promote the natural benefits of wool as a performance fibre,” explained The Woolmark Company's Managing Director Stuart McCullough.

“There has been explosive growth in demand in this sector, and in particular we aim to continue to take advantage of the opportunity for wool as a technical fibre. By presenting two themes as part of The Wool Lab Sport, we are able to cater towards high-intensity activewear through to the ever-growing athleisure market.”

The Woolmark Company

The Woolmark Company is the global authority on wool. Through its extensive network of relationships spanning the international textile and fashion industries, it highlights Australian wool’s position as the ultimate natural fibre and premier ingredient in luxury apparel.

The Woolmark Company is a subsidiary of Australian Wool Innovation, a not-for-profit enterprise owned by more than 24,000 woolgrowers that invests in research, development and marketing along the worldwide supply chain for Australian wool.

www.woolmark.com