GOLD COAST — Would you reach for a wool jacket before hitting the bike paths this spring?
Outerwear sheared from sheep has a reputation for warmth, bulk and sometimes itchiness that a New Zealand entrepreneur and athlete hopes to change.
Jeremy Moon's Icebreaker brand uses all-natural merino wool for athletic wear like light jackets, leggings and shirts built for layering.
Moon explained in a release that instead of trapping heat, merino wool actually "regulates temperature, which means it warms in the cold and cools in the heat — a significant selling point for the Midwest, given its sweltering summers and freezing winters."
Chicagoans will be able to see for themselves when Icebreaker opens its first location in the Midwest at 44 E. Walton St. in October 2013, according to an announcement from the company Thursday morning.
The 2,225-square-foot shop will be in a hub for athletic wear on the Gold Coast, located right near Burton, lululemon and Patagonia stores on Walton and Rush streets.
“We are excited to have active, style-savvy Chicagoans be Icebreaker’s Midwest ambassadors,” Moon said in a release. “Our high performance apparel is perfect in every season and for every activity, from a run or bike ride along the Lake Michigan shoreline to a destination ski trip. Fashion-conscience shoppers will love our expanding line of lifestyle apparel.”
