PROFILE
. an outdoorsman who loves to climb mountains, bike, and a variety of other activities. . His knowledge of ultralight and hiking culture, in particular, is among the best in the industry.
Difference between cotton and merino wool.
I have been climbing mountains for about 15 years now . I have been using merino wool products since the beginning," said Mita, a photographer and writer, who is also the editor-in-chief of "Yama to Michi Journal," which is noted for its exhaustive research data and in-depth study of the fabric. His first experience with Merino was with socks. I was shocked," he said. The moment I put my feet through them, they felt so good! The moment I put my feet through them, they felt so good. They were totally different from the three pairs of socks that cost 1,000 yen. Since then, he has become more conscious of the texture and breathability of clothing, in other words, comfort, which he had been indifferent to until then.
Check out the "Icebreaker" hoodie. Merino wool fleece? It's very comfortable and an interesting idea . The ribs, which are difficult to work with, are also very nice.
He said, "For me, with sensitive skin and a poor affinity for synthetic fibers, the only fabric I could find was cotton. Normally, I don't have a problem with cotton, but once I sweat, even after it dries, it feels as if it has a film over it, which is uncomfortable. I also felt that the smell would accumulate," he said. Then he came across merino and fell in love with it. Even if you sweat, once it dries, it feels smooth and silky. I was and still am amazed by the freshly washed feel of wool. It doesn't even smell.
Merino wool is the finest of all wools, and its fibers are extremely thin and bend softly against the skin, so there is no stinging sensation. Even those with sensitive skin can wear it with peace of mind. Along with its comfort, the deodorant effect of merino wool was a surprise to Mr. Mita, who says that it can be worn for a week without being washed. That is why he is able to push the product to hikers.
. "So you can get by without doing laundry. So, a change of clothes = minimal luggage. Two pieces of clothing, one for activities and one for sleeping, are almost enough". Why doesn't wool smell? When asked why wool does not smell, Mr. Mita, who examined wool extensively during product production, prefaced his answer with the words, "It has not been determined exactly," but he said, "One theory is that it absorbs a large amount of odor components, and the substances that make up the odor are trapped within the fiber. It has also been proven that the acidic components inside the fiber combine with the alkalinity of ammonia and acetic acid contained in sweat, resulting in odorlessness."
I am wearing the Nature Dade Long Sleeve Pocket Crew by Icebreaker. It is a medium-heavy 100% merino , with a stopper for eyewear in the chest pocket.
In addition, as a hiker, Mr. Mita focuses on the properties of wool against water. . wool has a very high capacity to store moisture inside. It works to absorb water even when the maximum moisture absorption capacity is exceeded, keeping the moisture content low on the surface. . Therefore, it keeps you dry and comfortable even when you perspire. The superior water retention capacity not only provides a comfortable feel on the skin. The fabric does not dry out rapidly, preventing the body temperature from dropping due to vaporization heat, which is very important in the outdoors. This is very important in outdoor activities. In the mountains, the ultimate purpose of wearing rainwear and merino wool is not for comfort, but to avoid death from hypothermia. It is said that the difference between those who survive a severe winter in the mountains and those who do not is whether they wore wool or synthetic fibers as underwear.
Merino wool is a waste not only in the mountains.
So is merino wool the material for the outdoorsman?
Yama to Michi" went through many trials and errors in order to create an original merino wool item. As a result, the company adopted twin yarns made from two yarns that have been twisted together. The result is a twin yarn that is as strong as a synthetic fiber blend.
If you are comfortable in the mountains, you will be comfortable in your daily life," he says. In addition to mountain climbing, Mr. Mita also enjoys bicycling. On a two-week bicycle trip not long ago, I brought only two merino T-shirts to change into. . Even if it had been a 30-day trip, it would have been the same amount. . Wool is useful even on flat terrain, even if it is not a hard environment. Another advantage of wool is that it is easy to care for, making it suitable for everyday use. When you use a washing machine, the fibers of normal wool get deeply entangled, and as a result, the wool shrinks. Merino wool is treated with the latest anti-shrinkage treatment by dissolving the fluffy surface of the fibers, which causes shrinkage, with chemicals, or by coating the fibers to make them smooth. . If you choose the dry or hand-wash course, it will be more secure," he says. . Nevertheless, there are many factors that cannot be read because of the natural material.
The Light Merino Kangaroo Pocket T-shirt (¥9,500) is being released this season by Yama to Michi. It is made of 100% merino fabric for use in the mountains, and has a kangaroo pocket to keep the wearer cool.
As we found out when we made our own merino wool items, there can be a slight shrinkage depending on the individual item. The closer the item is to 100% wool, the more pronounced the shrinkage becomes. Even so, in order to bring out the full functionality of merino wool, "Yama-do" is taking on the challenge of not blending it with any fabric at all. . If you blend in even a small amount of nylon, the quality will be much more stable," he said. It is like a ramen shop that uses no chemical seasonings at all, but the taste tends to be uneven (laughs). But as a hiker brand, we wanted to stick to 100% merino..."
In addition, the company pursues the functionality that hikers want, so the production of its own items is a process of repeated trial and error. For example, lightweight. For example, we want to make the items as light as possible to reduce the burden as much as possible, but lightness also means thinness, and thinness means durability. Therefore, we adopted twin yarns made by twisting two yarns instead of the common single yarns. We increased the strength without increasing the weight.
Ms. Mita's ideal bottoms, she says, are pajamas. Icebreaker" merino and nylon blend pants are so relaxing that you can sleep in them. At the same time, they are functional enough to use in the mountains.
Icebreaker" is also conscious of the fact that it is merino wool-only. Models are also released with the addition of other materials such as Tencel and nylon, but this is to create fast-drying, stretchy, durable, and other performance characteristics that suit the purpose of the garment. Basically, they use only wool from merino sheep raised at an altitude of 1,800 meters in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Even Yama to Michi had difficulty with the individual differences between products, but the fact that a world brand with an order of magnitude larger lot size than ours can maintain such quality must be due to the considerable amount of research that went into it," he said. Mr. Mita is also impressed by the wide variety of products. The number of items, such as parkas, pocket T-shirts, and bottoms, is overwhelming. Moreover, each item brings out the charm of merino wool. There are many things to learn, such as the exquisite silhouettes that don't cling to the body, and the thicknesses that can be selected according to the purpose of use.
Merino wool is attracting attention as a natural yet functional material. Does it really have any weaknesses? From a manufacturer's point of view, it is a difficult material to stabilize, but it is even better than that. . But it has many more advantages than that. As a user, you have to be careful about insect bites and tears, but if you use a felt starter kit, for example, you can fill in a few holes by stuffing the same wool together and intertwining them. The instructions on how to do it are on the Internet. It's quite fun to make it up yourself that way.
- 1
- 2
