When I was a young man growing up and racing bicycles, I became all too familiar with the classic wool bicycle jerseys of the day. While these wool garments did the job of wicking moisture from your body that they were designed to do, they were made from the kind of wool that gave wool its reputation of being “itchy”, and very uncomfortable when wet. Today, Ibex Clothing is a leader in the development and manufacturing of some of the most luxurious wool outdoor clothing that you will ever have the pleasure to experience.
At the cornerstone of Ibex is the Merino fiber, and a passion for the renewable, ultra-soft, high-performing fabrics knitted from this extraordinarily dynamic fiber. Produced by family-run sheep stations in the high-alpine pastures of New Zealand’s Southern Alps these specialist farmers produce the highest quality fibers from the special pink-nosed, pink-footed sheep known as Merino. The fact that the farmers are committed to sustainable practices as they humanely guard their flocks and care for the land that has been passed down through generations inspires Ibex to be mindful of the environment in every stage of the production of their garments, from sheep to shelf.
According to Ibex CEO and Co-Founder John Fernsell, “Making outdoor clothing is really as much art as science. It’s about choosing the right fabrics, understanding the different properties of those fabrics, and knitting for specific outdoor activities. It’s about crafting more performance, comfort and style. And along the way, making sure that everything’s sustainable. That’s what we love to do.”
Ibex set up its headquarters in Woodstock, Vermont (no, not that Woodstock!) and still calls Vermont home. Woodstock is a village of quaint homes and country stores, all surrounded by breathtaking mountains, farms and rivers. Employees biked to work over a covered bridge to a workplace where their dogs greet the guests. It’s the perfect setting, actually, for the spirit of the artisan to flourish. And while they have now moved just 14 miles down the road in White River Jct., because they outgrew their warehouse, the dogs and the bike commuting hasn’t changed.
For Ibex co-founder and Vermont sheep farmer Peter Helmetag, wool has always been a family matter. His grandfather owned a wool mill in Pennsylvania and even named his boat The Golden Fleece in homage to the natural fiber that had become his lifeblood. Peter followed his own bliss by climbing mountains as a teenager, and he never thought twice about his choice to wear wool as he carried his passion for adventure up mountains in places like Himalaya, Scotland, Africa, Spain, and Canada. Wool was what was available for outdoor athletes in the 60’s, and it was what worked to keep climbers like Peter warm, dry, and comfortable at every elevation. Nearly forty years later, Helmetag is still wearing the stuff, but now he treats himself to much finer, softer, and higher-performing wool garments—the ones he started to help design when Ibex was born in 1997.
When Peter met John Fernsell in 1997, the two men brought together their enthusiasm for outdoor pursuits as well as their vision for a company that could bring “new” wool garments to other climbers and backcountry skiers. “The inspiration for Ibex was born from an innate sense that wool was better than anything else for activities in the changeable outdoors,” Peter says. John was sick of searching for clothing that actually performed well on his backcountry skiing pursuits. As he puts it, “Everything looked the same and didn’t work. It was all either Gore-Tex® or polyester fleece.” Wool was obviously a superior choice, not because it was “retro” or “cool” but because it works better and is more sustainable than synthetics. In John’s words, “It just feels right.” Peter and John made a commitment to offer to outdoor enthusiasts what “old” wool and new synthetics could not—true comfort, ultimate performance features, and understated, appealing style.
Ibex has shown that quality, style, comfort, functionality, and sustainable business practices can all be brought together. We urge you to check out their products at: www.ibexwear.com
