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The brand Icebreaker from New Zealand has now established itself as one of the world’s leading manufacturers of merino clothing. With these products, the brand offers a natural and sustainable alternative to synthetic clothing. With its slogan “Move to Natural”, Icebreaker describes the endeavor to be part of a movement that is committed to a sustainable lifestyle – a desire that is more present today than ever. More and more people are starting to question their own lifestyle and behavior as a consumer: “What materials are my clothes made of and under what conditions were they made?” With Icebreaker products, the company wants to offer all these customers an alternative away from plastic Skin towards more nature – in the spirit of “Move to Natural”.
Clothing made from natural materials such as merino wool sounds sensible at first. But what can it do? Is wool a suitable material for outdoor activities? Doesn’t that scratch? And does merino clothing need special care?
The # 7daysteechallenge challenge
To answer these and other questions, Icebreaker invites me to a challenge: # 7daysteechallenge. The name says it all, wearing the same shirt for 7 days. The T-shirt should not be washed for a week, but only aired out at night. The motto is to wear more, wash less, use fewer resources. I’m happy to be there!
I know that merino wool is naturally odorless and odor-inhibiting and has warming and cooling properties. Merino clothing is also quick-drying. But 7 days in the same shirt, despite exercising and without washing? I’m curious…
Day 1: The t-shirt arrives
The Icebreaker Tech Lite SS Crewe Story T-shirt for men is the test product. When I unpack it for the first time, I immediately notice that the shirt feels comfortable and soft. In addition, the Tech Lite shirt is very thin and stretchy, so it can be stretched easily. The pack size is smaller than that of conventional cotton T-shirts, which is due to the structure of merino wool and the structure of the test product (87% merino wool, 13% nylon). On the first day of the challenge, the T-shirt was worn in the home office and hung outside in the evening to ventilate.
Day 2: first odor test
On the second day, the shirt smells like new, i.e. not at all. This is not very special as I didn’t break a sweat the day before. The wearing comfort is striking. The shirt is super soft and cuddly. This is not surprising when it comes to clothing made from merino wool. You can find out why exactly in our article Merino: The all-rounder among functional materials. The fit is great and the Tech Lite from Icebreaker is pleasantly stretchy. During the lunch break, there is a short, 20-minute workout using a fitness app. I sweat easily and then just leave the shirt on. At night, the shirt is hung up outside to ventilate again.
Day 3: passed the first test
On that day I would have put a T-shirt in the laundry at the latest. But the challenge continues. After I sweated a little in my shirt yesterday, the odor test in the morning: nothing. The odorless and odor-inhibiting properties of the Icebreaker Tech Lite Shirt show their effects. Thanks to the large proportion of natural materials, the shirt does not smell unpleasant. The first colleagues will ask in video calls and virtual meetings on the shirt like ‘Is it yesterday again today?’ attentive. After I have explained the challenge, everyone agrees: washing less, airing out more, and thus acting in a way that conserves resources is worth a try.
Day 4: more sweat
Today was a mountain tour on the program, unfortunately, the weather is thwarting my plans. The morning smell test is inconspicuous. So a more intense workout in the morning is the order of the day. I’m really sweating. Then I keep the t-shirt on because I want to know what is really true about the sniffing properties. The shirt is dry after a short time. This is due to the structure of the merino fiber. A single merino fiber measures only around 17 micrometers, i.e. 17 thousandths of a millimeter. In comparison, a human head’s hair measures around 100 micrometers. Due to this fineness, merino fibers are extremely flexible and pliable and have a small distance to our skin. This means that merino fibers can absorb moisture very quickly and allow it to evaporate without feeling wet. In the evening the shirt is hung up again to air it out.
Day 5: Netflix test
It’s a rainy Sunday. I do the everyday odor test. The Tech Lite does not smell unpleasant, musty or sweaty. The wearing comfort is still very good. The day is unspectacular. Rain, Netflix & chill, household, contact restrictions. The day at home poses no major challenges for the Icebreaker Tech Lite. The only thing worth mentioning is that animal hair (from our cat) gets caught in the shirt pretty quickly and deeply. The hair is felt to penetrate more easily than with conventional cotton or synthetic fiber clothing. I appreciate the fine structure and texture of the merino wool is the reason. Daily ventilation follows in the evening.
Day 6: endurance test
The penultimate day of the challenge. Normally I would have put 2-3 T-shirts made of cotton in the wash plus at least one functional shirt made of synthetic fibers. The merino shirt from Icebreaker shows that it can also be more sustainable. The smell test shows: the Tech Lite smells like summer rain! Because it has rained all night. It’s hard to believe what ventilation in combination with natural fibers can do for wind. After another day at the home office, it’s time for the endurance test. I’m going on a running lap. Then another workout via app. The Tech Lite shows what it can do here: even during sweaty activities, the T-shirt absorbs moisture without creating a heavy feeling of wetness. When I hang the shirt outside, it’s completely wet. I am looking forward to tomorrow.
Day 7: finals
7 days of wearing the same T-shirt without washing it is over. The final odor test is pending. The Tech Lite was ventilated for approx. 12 hours after the sport. And it doesn’t smell like sweat! Not musty or otherwise unpleasant in any way. Hard to believe! Right next to it are my shorts and my compression socks made of 100% synthetic fibers, they smell like sportswear after exercise. Musty, sweaty. Although it was aired at the same time. The Icebreaker shirt passed the test. Incidentally, my girlfriend also did not complain during the test period. This also shows that ventilation and merino wool can help to wash less and conserve resources.
Conclusion
The Icebreaker Tech Lite SS Crewe Story T-Shirt absolutely passed the # 7dasyteechallenge. The shirt has absolutely convinced me with its feeling, the feel, and above all the material. Clothing made from merino wool is very suitable for everyday use and sporting activities. I can easily imagine the Tech Light Shirt on multi-day trekking tours, camping, or traveling. The price of € 75.95 is higher than that of ‘normal’ t-shirts, but you get a lot more for your money here. Icebreaker shows that merino clothing can be worn for 7 days without washing, but with regular ventilation. This helps to conserve resources and to do something good for the environment.
You can find more on the topic here:
Wir Denken Um – more sustainability
Merino: The allrounder among functional materials