Oyster shells, a byproduct of the food industry, used to simply end up in landfills but are now being recycled in many creative ways. One of these ways is to turn the shells into yarn and insulation for outdoor apparel. For Fall/Winter 2019, Mountain Khakis will introduce jackets and shirts made from SeaWool Yarn and SeaWool Insulation.
SeaWool is made from a combination of discarded oyster shells and post-consumer recycled Polyfill in the case of SeaWool Insulation or post-consumer recycled PET bottles in the case of SeaWool Yarn. Oyster shells sourced from the food industry are first ground into powder and then mixed with the corresponding plastic pellets to create yarn or insulation.
SeaWool is not only a great recycling solution, but the resulting material has natural benefits much like wool (oysters are the sheep of the sea, after all) — it’s anti-static, wrinkle-resistant, antibacterial, odor-blocking, offers insulating warmth, and incredibly soft against the skin.
“We’re always looking for new, natural materials that can enhance our apparel, while limiting our impact. SeaWool offers a unique opportunity to remove waste and build a superior product at the same time,” said Ned Hutchinson, Senior Product Manager at Mountain Khakis. “The CLO value of the Insulation is even higher than other branded insulations of the same weight, and the yarns offer amazing hand and drape with so many of the same properties of wool, it makes sense to have it in the name.”
Mountain Khakis will release four products using SeaWool in 2019, with a larger collection coming in 2020. The men’s and women’s Pearl Street Flannel is made from SeaWool Yarn, while the Moran Insulated Shirtjac, men’s and women’s Triple Direct Vest, and the men’s and women’s Triple Direct Jacket use a combination of both the yarn and insulation.