TESTED // MOUNTAIN
DESIGNS TONY CHECK
SEAWOOL SHIRT
RRP $120 http://www.mountaindesigns.com
Te s te d byJUSTIN WALKERI
F YOU HAD told me I would be wearing a shirt
made from recycled oyster shell and recycled
plastic bottles a few years ago, I would have
laughed. Not because the idea seemed prepos-
terous – it’s a brilliant idea – but just because the
oyster shell component wouldn’t have seemed
possible.
Mountain Designs has proved me wrong with
the release of its new Seawool range of garments.
Incredibly, the fabric used in this long-sleeve shirt
is made from 23% recycled oyster shell (sourced
from the food industry) and plastic bottle, with
74% cotton and 3% spandex. The oyster shell is
ground into a fi ne power, then mixed with plastic
bottle pellets to help create the fabric. The result
is one of the most comfortable shirts I have worn
for quite a while. The fabric is exclusive to the
famous Aussie outdoor brand and the company
must be applauded for both the innovation and
the performance of the shirt. I have worn it both
in the outdoors and to work – and it’s about to
get another thorough workout on an upcoming
outback camping trip.
The Seawool fabric is smooth and soft, and it
also provides decent warmth – something that
will come in very handy during those cold
outback nights. This combination fabric is claimed
to prevent the growth of odour and so far it has
proved eff ective; I have worn it for a couple of
consecutive days in the outdoors and it hasn’t
become smelly at all. And, according to Mountain
Designs, the recycled PET bottle part of the fabric
improves drying times, as is the case with many
synthetic fabrics.
Besides the fabric technology in the shirt, it
also includes a few handy pockets and off ers a
comfortable fi t with just the right amount of
articulation in the arms to stop it riding too far up
your waist and exposing your lower back to the
cold when you’re reaching above your head. The
curved hem further protects your torso.
The Tony’s anti-static fabric, high-quality
environmentally friendly construction and its
overall comfort make for a uniquely impressive
entry into the versatile garment market. Like I said
earlier, you wouldn’t have believed it a few years
ago but Mountain Designs needs to be applaud-
ed for its innovative use of materials that would
otherwise be wasted. Nice one!SOFT FABRIC
INNOVATIVE TECH
EXCELLENT FITHOT
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