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digital imaging tools. It is essentially
a mono-filament, like silk.” They go
on to say, “While half the scale height
of other sheep breeds, SRS merino
is still more than 10 times greater
than huacaya or suri alpaca (“Surface
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Suri
Alpaca Fiber and Other Members of
the Camel Family.” Alpaca Magazine
Spring 2006) 158-71. Web.)
Although the Tillman’s study is a
welcome addition to the database
on fiber characteristics, additional
peer-reviewed research needs to be
conducted to verify all fiber properties
such as loft, hypoallergenic status, fire
resistance, moisture regain, tensile
strength and pilling, just to name a few.
Until that happens, these socks thrive
on personal DIY field research in any
outdoors proving ground. However,
data collection is purely optional.
YAK Attack
Kora is not the first manufacture to sell
a line of yak wool apparel. Its business
model, similar to Altera’s, is set on con-
tinuing to source, engineer and manufac-
ture its own wool, but with a hitch: within
a framework of sustainable development.
As founder Michael Kleinwort’s puts it,
“we are in fact, a fully integrated business
that oversees our whole supply chain and
production process.”
Getting there has taken a lot of
effort. Kleinwort spent the better part
of three years scouring the Tibetan
Plateau (Qinghai) for indigenous
communities with his entrepreneur-
ial vision and a potential supply of
yak wool. With his herder coopera-
tive established, he has been able
to stimulate employment, establish
an alternative income stream and,
through it, bring additional economic
constancy to the Qinghai region. To
do this, during the last five years,
Kleinwort has been trading yak fiber
above market rate in addition to in-
centivized benchmarks.
“We also pay a stipend at the end
of the season of 10 percent in order
to encourage the herders to return
the next year to sell to us. These ad-
ditional revenues help sustain these
nomads’ livelihoods on the plateau,”
Kleinwort submits.
When asked why all this effort,
Kleinwort passionately responds,
“positive change brings us closer to
APPAREL
SOURCING &
PRODUCTION
INDIA VIETNAM CHINA
HONG KONG USA
Quickfeat produces
sweaters, knits, wovens
outerwear, activewear,
leather, swim and
organics.
Our Services
- Fabric Sourcing
- Trim Sourcing
- Garment Development
- Factory Sourcing
- Production
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- Packing & Logistics
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Marketing O ice Bend, Oregon USA
|
Kola base layers, including the Shola 230
Zip, are made from 100% yak wool.
Summer 2016 | InsideOutdoor 31