Fiber Sourcing and Manufacturing
Icebreaker was conceived and designed around the philosophy of sustainability, using natural fibres, environmental and social ethics, and animal welfare.
In August 2008 it launched Icebreaker Baacode, a system that allows consumers to trace the origins of their Icebreaker right to a sheep station in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, where the merino fibre was grown. Icebreaker merino fabric is certified to Oeko-tex standard 100 Class 1 and Icebreaker factories meet ISO 14001 environmental standards.
Icebreaker pioneered long term contracts that pay a significant price premium to selected New Zealand sheep farmers and allow them to carry out long-term planning. In return, contracted growers agree to meet Icebreaker’s strict conditions on environmental and social issues, and on animal welfare. Icebreaker is now supplied with merino fibre by 140 high country stations, which cover more than 2 million acres (810,000ha) of New Zealand countryside. In June 2008, Icebreaker signed the biggest wool contract ever in New Zealand, worth approximately US$50 million.
The company prohibits the practice of mulesing, which includes the traditional surgical method and the clips method. Mulesing removes strips of skin around the tail to prevent the fly-strike disease, Myiasis. In order to avoid mulesing, sheep that produce Icebreaker merino may be treated through medicines and chemicals for the disease.
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