In 1994, 24-year-old marketing graduate Jeremy Moon was travelling around his native New Zealand with his American girlfriend when he made a discovery that changed his life.
A merino grower showed him a prototype fabric he’d developed from 100% merino wool. This soft, non-itch, lightweight fabric was a world away from the itchy, scratchy wool Jeremy had grown up with. Jeremy immediately saw the potential of a natural, biodegradable fabric that combined the benefits of wool and synthetics.
The discovery inspired him to quit his research job and mortgage his house to launch Icebreaker and pioneer a new retail category: merino outdoor clothing. Within a decade, Icebreaker had grown to become New Zealand’s leading outdoor clothing producer and exporter.