AWI and Red Mountain Resort "Peak" Interest in Merino

May 7, 2007 – A legendary destination for top skiers worldwide, Red Mountain Resort in British Columbia, has partnered exclusively with Australian Wool Innovation to showcase Merino as a top performing base layer for skiers.

This groundbreaking initiative, called “The Mountain Project,” is a multi-year program, conceived to foster dialogue and incubate community among athletes and artists, guides and enthusiasts – from gear manufacturers to users – with the aim of cultivating knowledge and best practices in a ski resort.

Red Mountain Resort is known as a cult resort for its tough terrain and expert level skiers. Visitors to the resort enjoy the back-to-basics feel and the focus on authentic mountain living.

In addition to the entire 120 member staff outfitted in Merino, the resort heavily brands the use of the textile with prominent signage seen by its 116,000 annual visitors. Merino is the perfect fiber for year-round outdoor performance gear due to its moisture movement, thermal regulation and anti-odor properties.

“Australian Merino is a natural fit for the project,” said Stuart McCullough, director of North American operations at AWI. “Red Mountain is the ultimate resort for serious ski enthusiasts and Merino is the ultimate technical outdoor performance fiber. Together, they provide a one-of-a-kind experience that is unmatched in the industry.”

Merino is ideal for base layer apparel as it is durable, soft, breathable and keeps wearers warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s flexible and wicks away moisture to keep adventurers comfortable at all temperatures and activity levels. As a natural fiber, it is well aligned with the values upheld by the environmentally conscious community of outdoor adventurers.

The Canadian Open Free Ski and Red Bull Cold Rush freestyle competition as well as the SnowSports Industries Association (USA) trade show also featured Merino this year. In addition, a number of pro skiers and snowboarders provided plenty of positive feedback.

“Having Merino next to skin is so much better than anything out there,” said Xavier Delerue, professional snowboarder and recent winner of the 2007 Verbier Xtreme and Big Mountain Pro competitions. “I constantly go from hot to cold to really cold and from wet to dry in a short period of time. Merino gets warmer when it needs to be but I never feel too warm. It keeps me super comfortable so I can focus on the mountain.”

Delerue explains that natural fibers are important to his lifestyle. “Natural is very important to me,” he said. “I like eating organic, I stay away from preservatives and I don’t like to waste product. I prefer not to use synthetics so Merino fits best with my way of life.”

For more information, contact Felicia Morton (212) 373-6026