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8 • November/December 2023 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com
Trend #2
Natural Fibers Gain Ground
A resurgence of interest in natural
fibers for active performance wear
has ushered in a slew of new options
– from materials using hemp, Tencel
and organic cotton to cotton blended
with yak fiber. Wool innovation has
been off the charts, with exceptional
advances in merino wool in particular.
"Runners, much like golfers and
hunters, oen don't think of apparel
as technical equipment, but a merino
wool garment is as technical as gear,"
shares Jose Fernandez, founder of
Global Merino, a specialist offering
apparel in variety of merino weights
from super-light to winter-warm, all
featuring wool's lineup of inherent
performance characteristics; the crimp
in the fiber allows wool fabrics to
hold air and thereby retain heat, but
wool fibers can also absorb almost
one-third of their own weight in water,
making wool fabrics excellent for
wicking moisture. Wool fibers are
also elastic, which means that wool
fabrics retain their shape over the
lifespan of a garment.
Tracksmith merino wool long
sleeve by Global Merino.
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