2. Mons Royale
2. Mons Royale
Turns out our favourite thermal manufacturer loves the planet as much as they love the sheep their thermals are made from. The Kiwi clothing company specialises in natural merino instead of man-made, non-biodegradable fabrics such as polyester. The majority of their garments are 100% merino, and are made in a super high performance factory in china that meets top clean technology standards, treats their workers fairly and is ISO 14001:2004 certified.
All the merino wool is washed, combed and dyed (using environmentally friendly dyes) at the factory, and the water used is then sent through a purification system meaning that only clean water leaves the factory. All this means that the finished merino product is completely free of harmful chemicals, during and after the manufacturing process, so it’s great for your skin as well as the environment.
And a bit more on the farming process of Merino Sheep: While there was a controversial PETA investigation involving shearers abusing sheep in Australia and the US last year, shearing is actually a necessary process in Merino Sheep to stop their coats from growing too big which can lead to them overheating in the summer, as well as to infections and skin problems. The practice of mulesing (cutting excess skin from the sheep’s rump area to avoid painful and fatal disease Flystrike) is also a controversial issue in Australian merino farming, but is being phased out in New Zealand.
Find out more about how Mons Royale make their thermals and why merino is great HERE and HERE.