By Sara Baird
Every time we purchase a product, we have the chance to pause and consider the ecological impact of our purchase. In our busy lives, this can be yet another overwhelming factor to consider. I would like to say I am always aware and make the best choice I can but I definitely can do better on this front. When I received the request to review some products from Isobaa clothing, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to check out products from a company with high standards when it comes to reducing their ecological impact.
Isobaa produces merino clothing designed for active lifestyles from ethically-sourced and Non-mulesed merino wool. They market the clothing by highlighting the odor-free and biodegradable properties of merino wool that allow people to wear the clothing longer and wash them less. They sent me two beautiful t-shirts and a hoodie to try out. These were the Merino 150 Rolled Sleeved Tee in Red, the Merino 150 Short-Sleeved Crew in blue, and a quarter zip hoodie in green. The shirts took a few weeks to arrive and I received the hoodie about a month after the tee shirts because it was back ordered.
What is Mulesing?
Before I could even get started, I needed to conduct a short research project. What does it mean that the wool they use is non-mulesed and why does it matter? Mulesing is a method of protecting lambs from flystrike, a possibly fatal condition that results when a blowfly lies its eggs in the skin of the lamb. Merino lambs are particularly susceptible to this due to the folds in the skin around their tails and breech area. Mulesing eliminates these folds by cutting off a crescent shape of skin to create a smooth scar. This process reduces the susceptibility of flystrike but does not eliminate it. This practice primarily takes place in Australia where the majority of the world’s wool is produced. Advocates against the practice call for a variety of changes ranging from more humane ways to conduct mulesing to breeding practices. The non-mulesed label allows you to choose if you want to support wool producers who do not use this practice.
Looking at Isobaa Clothing up close
The first thing I noticed about these shirts is that they arrived in recyclable packaging without one piece of plastic waste included. The tags were attached with twine and a reusable safety pin. It was apparent that this is a company that is making clear choices on their impact on the environment.
The shirts were rich beautiful colors. The blue crew was very tight fitting, definitely one I would use as an undershirt. My daughter tried it out, she is about two sizes smaller than me and it fitted her beautifully. The rolled sleeve tee and hoodie fit perfectly.
Testing Out The Tee Shirts
The shirts arrived after our camping season so I did not get a chance to use them on a camping trip. I am working at home while our school is in distance learning for a few weeks though, meaning that besides throwing on some makeup to look good on video, I am dressing much like I do when I’m camping and have some freedom in my wardrobe. Isobaa encourages people to wear their clothes longer and wash them less to reduce their environmental impact. I decided I would test one of the shirts by wearing it for a week. During my workdays, I break up my computer work with frequent movement breaks and head out for a walk as soon as my workday is over and found that the shirt was perfect for all these activities even when I broke a sweat.
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The shirt was slightly transparent, I would wear a cami under it if I wore it to work, but was comfortable wearing it with a sports bra around the house and in casual settings. The 100% merino wool was soft against my skins and something I really enjoyed wearing. At the end of the week, the shirt still looked great and I was comfortable throwing it on as a base layer for a day of winter hiking. I love how the t-shirt held its shape even after wearing it multiple days. The shirt wicked away moisture and dried quickly when I worked up a sweat and was comfortable when wearing it as a base layer while in the cold weather.
The Hoodie
I didn’t even need to try to wear the hoodie for an extended period of time. It is so comfortable that I don’t want to take it off. The fabric is just as soft as the tee-shirts but thicker. The lightweight hoodie is perfect for wearing around the house on winter days and an amazing layer to wear when active outdoors. The fit is form-fitting but not too tight. It will be a perfect layer for chillier days and evenings when camping and I won’t hesitate to wear it on casual days to work.
These shirts are relatively easy to care for. The care directions, printed on the shirt so that they are tag-free, indicates that it should be washed on a gentle cycle and dried flat. Unfortunately, the red shirt snuck its way into a pile of laundry and went unnoticed into the washer and dryer. Thankfully it is colorfast and I did not end up with pink clothes. The shirt shrank in length slightly but is still comfortable and wearable. The blue shirt and the hoodie washed up beautifully and maintained their shape when dried flat. They also dried incredibly fast.
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My recommendation
I love these shirts. These would be perfect for traveling, camping, hiking, and even wearing to work. The fabric feels wonderful on your skin, wick away moisture, and dries quickly. Despite my bad luck with the dryer, these are easy to care for. If all of my clothing was made like this it would be much easier to drastically reduce the use of our dryer. I can feel good about supporting Isobaa as they make choices that are both ethically and environmentally sound in both their products and their packaging. I definitely recommend you try their products out. The price can be intimidating but these are well-made products that require less care, meaning you can get away with owning less and count on them lasting longer than the average piece of clothing. If you are in a hurry to receive your items, I would recommend that you inquire about shipping speed before ordering. While the world deals with Covid international shipping is definitely unpredictable so it is hard to know if the length of time it took to get my clothing was typical. For me, it was definitely worth the wait. You can view Isobaa clothing on their website at https://www.isobaa.com/
Sara Baird
I am an adventurer at heart, always looking for the next opportunity to learn something new. I spend my winter days working with high school students to explore their interests and develop passions.
I spend my evenings and summers developing new hobbies and being outdoors as much as possible. I enjoy camping, hiking, cross country skiing, and biking.
I love this brand and purchase it whenever I can. The comfort and function translate to working out or hiking which I love.
I appreciate the ecological choices available here. It’s so important to make environmentally friendly choices and that’s awesome there was no plastic in the wrapping.
Interesting never heard about Isobaa clothing. Really good to learn something new.Thanks for sharing. I love to try them, especially the hoody!
This is my first time hearing about Isobaa brand. I like that it’s made of mulesed merino wool. After a bad experience with chafing on a previous hiking trip, I now know that merino wool is the way to go. Sounds like I can also wear it for traveling, as I like to pack light, so something that I can wear longer and wash less often sounds perfect.
I am glad to know that I’m not the only person who didn’t know about mulesing before reading this. It’s really great that you’re helping to educate other people on topics like that! I like to think I’m aware of how lots of things are created, as bad as they might be, but it’s posts like these that make me realise I still have a lot to learn in many areas. When it comes to fashion, I LOVE plain, block coloured t-shirts as they are comfy *and* easy to mix-and-match, so I’ll definitely have to keep Isobaa in mind for when I’m looking for clothes next!
I love how the items are packaged, it is really nice. the t shirts look really wearable and very comfortable too x
These clothes do indeed look comfortable to wear. I like the simple designs, and the hoodie is lovely!
I have to admit I have never heard of this brand before. very curious now, will check it out more closely. I wonder if they have sizes for petites
This is really interesting and educational. I haven’t heard of mulseing before until now. I really like the hoddie to. It looks really cool and comfortable.
I love how everything from packaging to the product is ecological. It is nice to have a few clothes which can be worn on every occasion.
I really wish more people were more conscious of clothing choices. So tough to find good ethical choices.
It really is tough to find good choices and with so many cheaper and less ethical options easily available it takes some serious consideration.
Good to know about this clothing line, interesting read as well.Never knew about Muelsing before. They also look very comfy and something one would love to wear. Thanks for sharing!
I was also not familiar with the practice of mulesing. That’s great that Isobaa Clothing uses non-mulesed merino wool. Their tee shirts look really comfortable!
Nice to be introduced with an interesting brand of clothing like this. I’ll check their website to view their designs. Thanks for sharing.
an interesting read and learned something new as well as discovered a brand i can love
This post was such an interesting read. I never even knew that all these different fabrics existed, I learned a lot!
I have never heard of Isobaa clothes. Well, I should try!
I like how they do the packaging- far too many companies send things in the mail with excess plastic. And the shirts look like a nice, casual wear addition to any wardrobe.
It looks like is a great piece of clothing. Will love to try and love the package.
I loved the blue shirt, thats my favourite colour and looks so smart. I don’t go for camping but do sometimes go for hiking. The suggestions for the clothing are good.
I love the blue shirt as well! The colors on all the items really struck me, they are so rich.
I have not heard of this clothing line but it looks good and comfy for traveling!
I had never heard of museling before. It is good to learn about things like this and how to find products that are more ecologically friendly options to pick from.
Hi Sara, I love t-shirts that I can wear on different occasions. I hate changing clothes too much as I find it a waste of time.
Thanks for the recommendations, I’ll check Isobaa out.
I love how environmentally-friendly these clothes are. I recently read an article on the clothing industry, and I had no idea how bad it can be for the planet!
This is so great! I love that I can look good and be comfortable AND be kind to the environment.
I have never heard of this brand before but their products look really good and comfy. I will check this out!
They seem to carry some really good clothing and if they were shipping to my country I would definitely try them đŸ™‚