MERINO
Certified extra fine Merino virgin wool (from sustainable animal breeding, no mulesing) acts like a warm protective layer with its natural properties: snow, wind and water repel-lent.
Together with a team of experts and renowned research institutes, Eisbär has developed the ACTIVE High Performance Range. A worldwide innovation in terms of the use of purely natural materials with the aspiration for maximum functionality in combination with the most modern production processes in knitting. 100% natural. 100% plastic free. Made in Austria. Patent Pending.
The ACTIVE product range includes sports beanies, headbands and tubes in three different designs. This way, there’s something for every outdoor athlete: depending on the outside temperature, weather conditions, level of exertion and individual sensitivity to cold or need for warmth.
A ACTIVE beanie is both a base layer and an outer layer. The ACTIVE and ACTIVE Pro beanies are helmet-compatible, the ACTIVE Pro Multitube is the all-rounder among them, the Active Warm beanie is windproof and keeps you warm even on brisk descents.
We have examined numerous natural yarns in detail for different criteria and their properties and no single material was able to convince in all aspects. After an elimination process, what remained were three natural fibers that in combination deliver an unmatchable level of performance in terms of thermoregulation and moisture management.
“Together we want to initiate a rethinking in the industry and with the customer. Until now, only synthetic fibers have been considered to provide reliable properties and functions for demanding outdoor use, whether in sports or at work. We think this is a misconception. We counter this with the highly functional ACTIVE products made from 100% natural yarns and can also prove it scientifically,” says Kenneth Kurtzweg, specialist in technical outdoor clothing and knitwear at Eisbär.
Kenneth Kurtzweg was the driving force in the Eisbär expert team together with Mag. Thomas Stöggl, university professor for sports and kinesiology at the University of Salzburg and Dr. sc. ETH Simon Annaheim, scientific group leader at Empa (research institute for application-oriented materials science and technology) in St. Gallen.
Accompanied – and at the same time challenged – by an independent field test team of picky outdoor enthusiasts that pushed the limits of what was first thought possible, performance features have been proven under laboratory conditions and outdoors alike.
Excerpts from test surveys with the Outdoor Test Team Zillertal, which has been evaluating various prototypes in the Austrian Alps since December 2020, support the development results: "My team members are fundamentally impressed by the fact that it is a completely natural product, without any plastic fiber worn next to the skin. You can clearly feel how the natural fibers work, the product does not feel wet, although it has already absorbed a lot of moisture. Your head doesn’t get cold and you don’t overheat, whether during a hard climb or at rest at the top of the summit.”
Countless tests and prototypes later, the end result is far more than the sum of the individual parts. ACTIVE products are designed in such a way that they respond to the individual needs of the different temperature zones on the head, cooling or warming where it is needed.
Inspired by the body mapping principle, a proprietary head mapping system for examining head- and neckwear was developed and applied for the first time during product development.
Head areas that produce the most heat or are particularly susceptible to cold require differentiated properties and functions.
The results of head mapping lead to Eisbär’s proprietary development of the 3D ACTIVE KNIT technology – a special 3D knitting pattern with adapted structures and material combinations in defined temperature zones for the best possible functionality and maximum wearing comfort.
The ACTIVE sports models from Eisbär provide maximum functionality based on their special structure and pattern. Specific zones allow targeted thermoregulation, optimal moisture transport and breathability where it is needed.
ACTIVE Pro Multitube as mouth/nose protection with function-specific zones for increased breathability and moisture transport.
Certified extra fine Merino virgin wool (from sustainable animal breeding, no mulesing) acts like a warm protective layer with its natural properties: snow, wind and water repel-lent.
The hydrophobic Skindry MicroModal is a cellulose fiber made from beech wood. Positioned on the inside, it is responsible for the rapid transport of liquid.
The hydrophilic SolucellAirTM is a hollow cotton yarn with unique properties, making it highly absorbent, fast drying and warming.
ACTIVE's patented material mix efficiently wicks sweat away from the body. The regulated removal of liquid at the right speed is important so that the body does not constantly produce sweat.
Not evaporating too quickly will naturally cool you down without creating an uncomfortable chill factor. The cooling effect takes place away from the skin versus directly next to the skin. This provides softer or more comfortable cooling and avoids direct post activity chilling.
A ACTIVE product feels dry, soft and cuddly on the skin.
ACTIVE helps to keep the head area at a constant temperature even under exertion and accordingly reduces the body's own effort to compensate for temperature. This enables optimized performance and efficiency.
ACTIVE products are designed in such a way that they respond to the individual needs of the different temperature zones on the head, cooling or warming where it is needed.
All three components of ACTIVE are purely natural and renewable raw materials with many advantages and highly functional properties that are also biodegradable.
Saving nature in more than one way: Due to the natural properties of wool in your ACTIVE products, it needs to be washed less frequently compared to other fabrics. Rather vent your product in the open air.