Find the Source of Your Cloth Fiber Through Baacoding

This is a follow-up post to one I did a couple of weeks ago about an innovative sustainable outdoor clothing company in New Zealand - Icebreaker- and their clever Baacode, which helps owners of their garments to track down where the fibers from the garment came from. It is a little ‘meet your sheep’ thing.

I was so excited to get my ‘Quantum Hood’ midweight outer layer from New Zealand. No. That is not a picture of me in the coveted hoodie. I’m not quite as intense (or young) as this svelte model here.

I couldn’t wait to meet my little merino friends who endured shearing and I suppose quite a breeze for a little while for the sake of this amazing hoodie. It was remarkably ‘high-tech’ and smooth - not what you would expect when you see the farm and pictures of the family who runs it and of course the woolly beasts themselves.

Meet my sheep!
My groovy sweatshirt came from a farm called Irishman Creek Station in South Island, New Zealand. This of course is utterly perfect as I am of Scots/Irish decent and if you read about this farm and the family that started it, you’ll see.

I was nervous because I am HIGHLY allergic to wool - IN ANY FORM. But, they convinced me their merino was amazing and smooth and non-irritating. I went with an outer layer just in case. I wore it with a short sleeved t-shirt underneath for a day and it was slightly irritating, but not so much that I took it off, which is saying a lot. Usually, I have to remove it immediately. The shape of it, the hardware, the awesome thumb-hook holes make this a very stylish and high-tech version of the good ole hoodie that after all these years is still a favorite and staple in my comfort clothing collection. I’m not ready for merino socks or undershirts yet, but for anyone that is NOT highly allergic, I am jealous. Check them out!

“Baa-ram-ewe, baa-ram-ewe.To your breed, your fleece, your clan be true.
Sheep be true. Baa-ram-ewe” Sheep, Babe (1995)

Eat. Blog. Be Merry!

GD Meg