Icebreaker Clothing
Founded by the then 24-year-old Jeremy Moon over two decades ago, Icebreaker is a brand that you may call sustainable in its very true sense. The main goal of the brand at the time was to reduce our reliance on petrochemical fibres to produce garments for outdoor activities when synthetic ruled the industry.
Icebreaker Journey
The very first of its kind, Icebreaker became the first brand to develop the weight layering system and develop partnerships with wool growers in Merino. By the end of the last century, the company had already begun expanding to more countries. It was in 2005 that Icebreaker established its first retail store in the capital of New Zealand.
Pioneers in the Industry
Icebreaker clothing came as the first of its kind to introduce graphics on Merino wool and ban the use of mulesing. Another interesting concept was introduced by Icebreaker. They issue a 'baacode' on all of their garments that can help the wearer track the lineage of their garment. You can track the source of the materials right back to the sheep station. The company also developed new technology that enhances the durability of the cloth. The technology wraps the superfine merino around a high denier nylon filament. The company also developed technology that reduces the killing of ducks to produce garments.
New Leaderships
Coming on board as the CEO of Icebreaker, Air New Zealand started a new chapter for the company in 2014. The company then further moved on to a new stage when Greg Smith became the CEO and Rob Fyfe became the chairman in 2017.
Icebreaker Philosophy
The company wholeheartedly believes that nature has solutions to all of humankind's problems and sustainability is the key. The kinship with nature is the route to a happier and sustainable world. Reducing the use of plastics and sparing the animals while fulfilling our basic needs is a philosophy that Icebreaker swears by. Adaptation, Symbiosis and Sustainability are the three broad categories under which the company divides all its activities.
Icebreaker Supply Chain
Comprised of seven core stages, Icebreaker's wool fibre is sourced from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in a ratio of 64%, 14% and 22% respectively. The wool is then cleaned, carded, gilled & combined in Mainland China. The yarn is further spun in Mainland China, Germany, Italy, Romania and Bulgaria by knitting, weaving, bonding or felting fibres. The fabric is further cut into panels, sewn into garments, or knitted into garments and accessories in Mainland China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, USA, Cambodia, and Italy. The main distribution centres are Germany, USA, Canada and New Zealand to 47 countries across 4,500 stores.
In all, Icebreaker produces a final product that is simple, durable, versatile, purposeful, natural and sustainable. With only 9% of the fibres being man-made, and 91% being completely natural, Icebreaker clothing has established a niche market for itself. Some of the well known products are MerinoLoft, BodyFitZone, Cool-Lite, and Corespun. If you are a climate enthusiast and are looking for a brand that resonates with your sentiments of keeping the ecology balanced, Icebreaker is the brand for you.