Icebreaker's New Baacode Pioneers Garment Traceability

December 11, 2007

Clothing manufacturer Icebreaker is pioneering "Baacode": a new traceability system that enables customers to trace their pure merino garments through every step of the production process, starting with the New Zealand sheep station from which the merino wool came.

In an industry first, Icebreaker is giving customers a chance to find out about the company's sustainable and ethical practices throughout its entire supply chain.

"For Icebreaker, it's not just about where it's made - it's about how it's made," says Icebreaker founder and CEO Jeremy Moon.

From August 2008, garments will have an internal label bearing a unique Baacode number. Customers will be able to go to the Icebreaker website, enter in their Baacode and trace the merino wool in their garment through to the sheep stations in the Southern Alps of New Zealand - the finest merino region in the world.

Through videos and photos, Icebreaker wearers will see the living conditions of the sheep that produced the exceptional merino wool used to make their garment, and meet the high country Kiwi farmers who raised these sheep. Then they can follow the production system every step of the way: cleaning the fibre, spinning the yarn, making the fabric, and cutting and sewing Icebreaker's edgy, functional and fun garments.

They'll see the awe-inspiring natural environment where the merino wool in their Icebreaker garment was grown, and the working conditions of the team that put the garments together.

While many outdoor clothing companies make token gestures towards being eco-friendly, Icebreaker's commitment to sustainability has been a non-negotiable part of its core philosophy since its launch in 1994. Customers already love the unmatched technical performance and cool stylishness of Icebreaker garments: now they'll be able to see for themselves Icebreaker's unshakeable commitment to sustainability, animal welfare, social ethics, practices that have a low environmental impact, and the latest clean technology.

"For us, sustainability is about transparency and being able to show the whole design of the business, which starts with the growers and continues through every step of the supply chain," says Jeremy Moon.

"We made the decision to put this information online to give consumers a clear understanding of Icebreaker, and of our deep commitment to the environment and to social ethics."

Baacodes will be on garments on sale in August for the fall/winter season in the northern hemisphere, and the summer season in the southern hemisphere. The garments will also come with a swing tag giving customers details of Icebreaker's ethical and sustainability practices.

About Icebreaker

Launched in 1994, Icebreaker was the first company in the world to develop a merino wool layering system for the outdoors. It was also the first outdoor apparel company in the world to source merino direct from growers, a system it began in 1997. There are now 10 distinct pure merino fabrics in the Icebreaker system, covering underwear, mid layer, and outerwear.

Icebreaker is sold in nearly 2000 stores in 24 countries throughout Europe, Asia, Australasia and North America. Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Icebreaker uses only pure merino hand-picked from 120 high country stations in the country's Southern Alps to create edgy outdoor clothing that combines nature's work with human technology and design.