Transitioning to Natural Fibre Clothing: My 10-Year Journey

It took me nearly a decade, but today most of my closet is made up of natural fibres—and I’ve never felt better about the switch. I started, like many people, with the big obvious brands: Smartwool and Icebreaker. They were my gateway into merino, but over the years I noticed their T-shirts getting thinner, and I began searching for alternatives that offered better durability and aligned more closely with my values.

As a Canadian, I’ve tried to stay within our borders where possible, and I’ve discovered some incredible companies along the way:

1. Anián
These are what I consider true lifetime pieces. Their clothing is made from reclaimed wool, beautifully constructed, and designed to last—both in style and performance.

2. Unbound Merino
Their T-shirts are thick, high quality, and perfect for travel. They hold their shape, resist odour, and generally outperform anything synthetic I used to wear. I also love their pants and shorts. (I haven’t needed a hoodie yet—my Icebreaker hoodie is still going strong.)

3. Huha
Natural, breathable underwear made without plastic. Once you switch, you won’t go back.

4. 7mesh
For cycling, their merino wool jerseys and jackets are top-tier. I do still buy their poly cycling shorts—because nobody has made a wool version yet—but for tops, I stick with merino.

And of course, I still purchase Icebreaker and Smartwool socks—because honestly, no one beats them.

Switching to natural fibres takes time, and that’s okay. The important thing is starting. The choices we make as consumers genuinely matter. We have far more power to shift the status quo than we often realize.

Think about what you’re wearing every day. Synthetic clothing is, quite literally, plastic—and it sheds microplastics into our air, our water, and even our bodies. Natural fibres are better for you, better for the environment, and often better in performance and longevity.

Small changes compound over time. This one has been worth every step.

Kristi