Outdoor Insight

24 • Outdoor Insight • January 2019 outdoorinsightmag.com with either an on-trend Sherpa exterior or functional DWR face. "You can dress it up, down or wear it on the trail," Boettcher says. The brand's Sherpa is derived from wool (along with polyester and nylon), carrying the properties of that original performance fabric. A Hutton Sherpa Jacket contains 80 percent recycled polyester. It's a touch of 70s, complemented by a hint of 90s, which are currently playing off each other in the marketplace. Calming Corduroy A little over 10 years ago, during the financial crisis, men's corduroy blazers on the runway mimicked the U.S.-manufactured, mass-produced variety popular with the working class in the late 1800s during the Long Depression. Corduroy's vertical cut-pile stripes (formed by an extra system of filling yarns in the fabric) make for a workhorse — a perfect fit for college students and beatniks in the 1960s. In the late 1970s and 80s, preppy types and surfers caught on to the campy cloth, only to have the fabric return in '90s grunge, paired with flannel shirts. Fall 2019's corduroy from prAna is less fussy. prAna design director, Andrea Cirque-Austin, says it "evokes a nostalgic feeling that is comforting in this fast- moving world." Employed as an alternative to denim, corduroy brings a fancy feel to casualwear. For men, designers created a yarn dye plaid in corduroy for shirtings. For women, a washed-down pigment look was used in several styles to create a "dimensional effect that gives these easy-wearing styles personality," according to the exec. Corduroy is sprinkled throughout the prAna women's line in a shirting dress, skirt, shrunken trucker jacket and slim leg pants. Meanwhile, Toad&Co's corduroy is breathable, long lasting and contains three percent stretch, making it incredibly wearable. "We can now do trend silhouettes whereas in the past you had to do boxier ones," notes Boettcher. Velvet-like interpretations of corduroy are in tune with the definition coined in 1700s France, corde du roi, or "cord of the king." At that time, the fabric was woven of silk and used for royal servants (although some surmised a British manufacturer was just trying to glamorize his fabric with a fancy name). The foundation of corduroy can be either plain or twill weave. Signature Sweater-Craft "We have been the leader in sweater craft for almost 50 years — it's part of our heritage and DNA," says Joanne Steinbauer, senior director of product for Royal Robbins. Liz Robbins, co-founder of the firm, recognized in the early days that sweaters should not only be durable and comfortable, and but also fit well and look great, too. The brand's designers have "an expertise in materials and stitch patterns that takes years to hone," Steinbauer explains. After some brands took a brief break from sweaters to focus instead on mid- layer fleece options, sweaters are popular thanks to the Danish hygge trend. Hygge is a Danish term defined as "a quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being," according to the Oxford Dictionary. Fall and winter are "hygge" times of year, offering warm, cuddly escapes from low temps. The term also is about well-being, with sweaters also offering environmentally responsible and sustainable buying options. Royal Robbins is committed to using non-mulesed wool and sourcing plant-based fibers to blend with the wool so sweaters have a soft finish and hold their shape. Royal Robbins' Fall collection offers versatility in yarns, from wool options to non-wool, and all are machine washable for easy care. The men's Yosemite Merino quarter-zip is monochromatic, with a subtle print on the front that is a nod to the brand's heritage. It offers lightweight warmth and natural odor resistance. A women's Mystic Canyon cardi is a chunky knit, button-front sweater made from a blend of acrylic and alpaca with two front hand warmer pockets. l MATERIALS Royal Robbins Mystic Canyon Cardigan

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