Snowcentral is now stocking a range of Bamboo and Merino Blend products from Le Bent. These include thermals, balaclavas, and Le Bent ski socks. Here is the Le Bent story and why we have chosen to stock them.
At Le Bent, it starts with a gift from Mother Nature. Combining the best of bamboo and Australian merino wool. The Platinum Blend.
Why Bamboo And Merino Wool?
It is a natural fibre blend everyone can wear. Base layers are a key part of dressing for the snow and men's ski thermals will ensure comfort, warmth and breathability during your ski trip. Women's ski thermals offer a women's-specific fit which may ensure a closer fit to the body for women. It all depends on personal preference and how you'd like your thermals to fit you for ultimate comfort.
The Platinum Blend takes the best of bamboo and merino to deliver the highest degree of comfort and performance that caters for 100% of customers. Those with allergies and irritations to 100% merino, do not itch or scratch due to the silk like quality of bamboo. Bacteria is controlled with no smell after several wears. Temperature is effectively regulated in warm and cool conditions. Moisture is quickly wicked and evaporated away from the skin. Warmer, drier, softer and cleaner.
Benefits Of Merino Wool
WARMER
A powerful textile insulator, warm in the cold and cool in the heat. The air trapped inside the natural scales of Bamboo fiber retain the thermal energy created by the body. It is textile air conditioning leaving you naturally regulated in all conditions. See our Insulation Buying Guide for more information on merino wool and thermal base layers.
DRIER
Bamboo & merino provide a leading wicking agency. The fiber cross-sections are covered with micro-gaps giving the fabric better moisture absorption and ventilation than all other fibers. Naturally moves sweat from the skin leaving you drier for longer.
SOFTER
Bamboo is similar to the softness of silk and cashmere, naturally smoother and rounder with no sharp spurs to irritate the skin. It makes the products hypoallergenic. Those with irritations to merino tend to have no reaction with our bamboo & merino blend.
CLEANER
Controls the odour producing bacteria providing a true anti-bacterial product for less odour and unsurpassed hygiene. Negatively charged ions, leading wicking properties and an antibacterial agent keep it fresh, dry and hygienic with no smell.
Bamboo is a rapidly renewable, environmentally friendly resource. The fabric is smooth as silk and cashmere, far softer than merino.
Bamboo has key technical attributes suited perfectly to active wear. In addition to those of merino, bamboo provides a softer feel, removing irritations and allergies to 100% merino with smoother/rounder fibers. Bamboo is also great at controlling odour-producing bacteria to keep it hygienic with no smell.
Bamboo contains a natural antibacterial agent and pesticide known as “Bamboo Kun”. This natural anti-bacteria has been tested to last for more than 50 washes, still retaining it’s function.
The end result of this process leaves the bamboo fabric with a silk and cashmere-like softness, superior breathability and antibacterial properties. All of which are maintained and then blended with our superfine merino wool to create our Platinum Blend.
Australian Merino Wool
Le Bent sources its merino from Australia’s premium superfine wool suppliers. With an average of 70 million sheep in Australia, it’s no wonder Australia is the world’s leading producer of fine apparel merino wool.
Merino is an incredible natural fiber that has been used for hundreds of years and provides great benefits for active wear. Key benefits include temperature and moisture management. Merino also helps fight odour and is relatively soft.
The merino sheep is one of the world’s most ancient breeds of sheep and also one of the toughest. Merino is an entirely natural fiber, grown all year round making it completely renewable.
Compared to traditional wool, merino is a smoother and finer fiber, which gives it vastly superior texture and hand feel to traditional coarse wool. Additionally, the keratin found in merino has been proven by dermatologists to be beneficial to the softness of human skin.
Merino naturally regulates temperature by absorbing and releasing moisture, has anti-bacterial properties which reduce the build-up of odors and is ultra breathable, naturally wicking moisture away by allowing air to breathe.
See this miracle fabric in Le Bent ski socks and Le Bent base layers here.