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Not OP, but I run, hike, bicycle, ski, backcountry ski, practice yoga, indoor rock climbing, and more in merino wool t-shirts, underwear, and socks. I find Ibe

Not OP, but I run, hike, bicycle, ski, backcountry ski, practice yoga, indoor rock climbing, and more in merino wool t-shirts, underwear, and socks. I find Ibex makes the highest quality tees (their tencel/merino/nylon shirts are incredible for hot summers) and underwear. Icebreaker also makes a variety of good stuff. I generally look for some amount of nylon for durability, but I have a few 100% merino shirts from icebreaker that I've worn intensively for years with no problems. I did have some pilling issues with the merino/tencel blend from ibex which is a shame. Gorgeous fabric at first; still feels luxurious. Laundry is a bigger deal since it's wash cold and dry flat with many of these; that can be a cost, equipment, and/or lifestyle adjustment. I'm often able to wear the same clothes many days in a row without issue. For pants, I prefer nylon+elastane blends, but it's hard to find. Prana used to make good things here but their Brion II line was a significant drop in quality.

aitchnyu 3y ago
How different is nylon + wool and $biodegradable_fiber + wool for the environment?
- rattray 3y ago
  Probably depends on the biodegradable fiber? Organic cotton uses a _ton_ of water. I'm not sure about viscose/rayon/tencel but I imagine it's often less water-intensive but it can be pretty chemical-intensive. I don't know how bad nylon is to produce, but the durability it adds to clothes is probably an overall net win for the environment; compared to other plastics we consume, it does a lot of work (I've worn some items for years). Note Prana has recycled nylon in their Brion II line, but unfortunately the quality is way worse; it pills immediately. Environmentally, I'd much rather buy non-recycled plastics that last a lot longer, so I consume/waste less overall. But the tldr is that I don't know :)
  - aitchnyu 3y ago
    Anything that an electric pill shaver can't fix?

aitchnyu 3y ago

How different is nylon + wool and $biodegradable_fiber + wool for the environment?

rattray 3y ago
Probably depends on the biodegradable fiber? Organic cotton uses a _ton_ of water. I'm not sure about viscose/rayon/tencel but I imagine it's often less water-intensive but it can be pretty chemical-intensive. I don't know how bad nylon is to produce, but the durability it adds to clothes is probably an overall net win for the environment; compared to other plastics we consume, it does a lot of work (I've worn some items for years). Note Prana has recycled nylon in their Brion II line, but unfortunately the quality is way worse; it pills immediately. Environmentally, I'd much rather buy non-recycled plastics that last a lot longer, so I consume/waste less overall. But the tldr is that I don't know :)
- aitchnyu 3y ago
  Anything that an electric pill shaver can't fix?