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Australian Merino Wool
Humans have been dressing themselves in this wonderful fibre for over 10,000 years for very good reasons. Wool is soft to the touch, breathable, elastic and respondent to changes in body temperature to help you stay cool when it’s warm, and warm when it’s cold.
Today’s wool is a thoroughly modern fibre however, bred and managed to optimise these qualities for intended usage.
Consisting of extremely fine fibres when compared to regular wool, Australian Merino wool is widely regarded as one of the finest clothing fibres in the world and is highly prized for being exceptionally soft, lightweight and strong. Properties that make it an ideal choice for the precise craft of tailoring suits.
Descendants of the Royal Merino Flock of Spain were introduced into Australia in 1797 and found the conditions here favourable. Through selective breeding, Australian farmers soon produced a fine and distinctive wool fibre that was exported to England for manufacturing. Australia now produces 88% of the world’s fine Merino wool used for apparel.
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Superfine Grading
When grading suit fabric, quality is related to the diameter of each thread (in microns). The finer the threads, the more individual fibers per inch. This yarn count of a suit fabric is reported in Super numbers – Super 100’s, Super 120’s etc. To qualify as a ‘Superfine’ fabric, the thread count must be at least Super 100’s or above.
Having said this, a higher Super number does not always mean the suit is a better choice for your intended wear. Super high thread counts can be problematic since to increase the count per inch it is necessary to use thinner fibers that are more prone to damage.
Anthony Squires suits are made to look and feel great, but also to be worn regularly and maintain their shape over years of use. For this reason, we recommend Super 100 – 120’s wool for the optimum combination of feel, strength, wrinkle resistance and drape. Anthony Squires do offer suits in the higher grades up to Super 160’s but suggest these are more suitable for occasional wear.
Key Properties of Merino Wool
Soft & Comfortable
Consisting of exceptionally fine fibers, Australian Merino wool threads bend more easily than coarser wool's and feel soft and luxurious against the skin.
Thermal Adaptability
Unlike synthetic materials, Merino wool is a natural and active fiber that reacts to changes in body temperature. The thermal properties of wool help you stay warm when it’s cold, and cool when the weather warms up.
Flexible and Wrinkle Resistant
Merino wool fiber is like a coiled spring that returns to its original shape after being stretched or bent. This means the garment will move with you and most wrinkles will fall out of the suit after 24 hours of hanging.
Breathability
Merino wool moves moisture away from your skin to then evaporate into the air. Known as ‘wicking’ this characteristic keeps you dry, comfortable and less prone to sweating.
Static Resistance
Being resistant to static electricity helps Merino wool drape and be less likely to cling to your body. This feature also means less dust and lint is attracted, keeping the fabric clean.
Stain Resistance
Merino wool is resistant to absorbing stains thanks to a natural protective outer layer around each fiber.
Since 1964
THE WOOLMARK COMPANY
Since 1964 The Woolmark Company has been the global authority on wool. The Woolmark brand is now the most widely recognised textile mark in the world and acts as an independent quality assurance of every wool product it adorns.
Acting on behalf of the 60,000 woolgrowers that help fund the company, TWC is a not-for-profit that conducts research, development and marketing from farm through to the finished product for Australian wool.
As the longest standing Woolmark licensee in Australia with over 50 years of close collaboration, Anthony Squires is committed to using the finest Australian Merino Wool in every suit we make.
Journal
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