Woolmark │ Leading the Trend in Wool Sports and Outdoor Fabric
From January 16–19, the 15th ISPO Beijing 2019 — Asia’s leading trade fair for sports goods and fashion — was held at the China International Exhibition Center. With the continued rapid growth of the sports and outdoor industries, the advantages of wool in meeting the performance demands of both designers and consumers have become increasingly evident. At this ISPO exhibition, The Woolmark Company showcased seamless Merino wool yoga and running product lines, the Neulana outdoor collection, and wool knit sneakers made with new technologies.
The Woolmark Company is the global authority in the wool industry, with an extensive network in the international wool textile and fashion sectors. Through this network, it highlights the significance of the ultimate natural and premium Merino wool fiber for luxury apparel. As one of the most prestigious and respected brands in the world, the Woolmark label provides outstanding quality assurance for products. Since its inception in 1964, the Woolmark label has represented cutting-edge craftsmanship and technological innovation across all segments of the wool industry supply chain, while also striving to enhance consumer demand for wool and strengthen the profitability, competitiveness, and sustainable development potential of the Australian wool industry.
The Woolmark Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI). As a non-profit organization, it leverages the support of over 60,000 Australian woolgrowers to invest in the innovation, research, development, and market promotion of Australian wool.
The Woolmark Company has initiated and supported various wool-related projects in China, nurturing future design stars and providing relationship-building, inspiration, and training across all levels of the supply chain. This helps bring high-quality Australian Merino wool from the farm to the runway. In recent years, The Woolmark Company has carried out a series of innovative R&D and cross-industry collaborations in the sportswear and casual wear sectors. Thanks to its multifunctional properties—such as breathability, temperature regulation, moisture management, high elasticity, and odor resistance—Merino wool is being widely used in sportswear. As a natural fiber, wool is the best choice for premium sportswear and casual fashion.
The Woolmark Company presents the 2020 wool sports and outdoor fabric trends, including fabric collections for base layers & mid-layers, as well as outer layers. Function + Fashion is the main trend direction. Leveraging the natural superiority of wool, base and mid-layers mainly demonstrate comfort, breathability, elasticity, temperature control, moisture wicking, and odor resistance. Knit fabrics using circular knitting machines combine space dyeing, piece dyeing, and section dyeing to achieve multi-color effects, and employ jacquard weaving and double-knit structures to perfectly blend classic fashion patterns with classic outdoor constructions. The combination of wool with new fibers—such as graphene, Dryarn, reflective fibers, and Corebrid light-absorbing and heat-generating fibers—is also a highlight of this season’s trends. In addition to the widespread use of wool circular knit fabrics, lightweight wool-blend woven fabrics for outdoor shirts and pants are another application direction. The development and use of wool warp-knit fabrics are also relatively novel and hold broad prospects. Outer-layer fabrics focus on warmth and protection, featuring wool-filled battings, faux fur lamb’s wool fabrics, and windproof materials quilted or laminated together. Premium leisure-oriented heavy shrinkage wool fabrics are used for outdoor jackets. Colored, transparent, printed waterproof and breathable membranes are laminated with tight pure wool or wool-blend woven fabrics. Various high-density circular knit, warp-knit, and woven fabric combinations are also featured. Natural materials paired with fine small-texture patterns, along with tightness and elasticity, are also important trends in outdoor wool fabrics.
The Merino wool seamless yoga and running product lines utilize Italian Santoni seamless knitting equipment and technology. By combining the natural advantages of Merino wool with those of other functional synthetic fibers, they offer soft elasticity, odor resistance, breathability, UV protection, and temperature balance. These features meet the needs of various sports and lifestyles. Their sporty designs and fashionable aesthetics are combined with unlimited functionality. The soft texture and lightweight comfort make them suitable for low-intensity workouts, while their naturally comfortable home-style appeal aids in relaxation and stress relief after exercise.
The Neulana outdoor fabric series is a new group of protective 100% Merino wool high-performance fabrics that offer natural wind and rain resistance. Due to their unique water repellency and windproof properties, these fabrics are especially suitable for outdoor sportswear, casual clothing, and even classic trench coats. Moreover, the NEULANA outdoor fabric series retains the natural characteristics of wool, including breathability, antibacterial properties, and UV resistance.
Wool knit sneakers are made with wool or wool-blend yarns, using full-fashion knitting technology on computerized flat knitting machines. They showcase the natural warmth, breathability, odor resistance, and comfortable elasticity of wool, while also achieving the perfect fusion of fashion and function through special localized knitting structures.
The Woolmark Company remains committed to promoting high-quality natural fibers to the public, while also delivering a philosophy of premium living to consumers. Especially in the field of outdoor sports, wool has long been the preferred fabric fiber for professional sportswear. Even today, with the emergence of numerous technical and synthetic fibers, wool still holds many unique functional advantages unmatched by other fibers. In the future, The Woolmark Company will continue to collaborate with selected retail brands to help more high-end consumers who love outdoor and sports activities discover and access premium products with outstanding functionality.