Merino active wear has perks

An initiative to encourage consumers to exercise wearing Merino wool to drive brands partnered with The Woolmark Company was a success with 150,000 people taking active interest in the exercise-focused social networking platform.

The Move in Merino Challenge viewed on the Strava website, encouraged people to get outdoors and active… in Merino wool.

The platform offered discounts up for grabs and prizes to win from the partners.

The community engagement initiative encouraged consumers to exercise wearing Merino wool, driving sales of brand partners’ products and building its community of active-minded Merino wool ambassadors.

The Move in Merino Challenge ran from April 1 to 28 and involved 150,000 participants, including 8580 Strava club members and 4 million active hours with 14 million website impressions.

It was especially popular with runners and cyclists, Strava has 58 million registered users worldwide.

The website enables users to upload their fitness activity.

They can compare their performance over time, compete with their community, and share the photos, stories and highlights of their activities.

Participants were challenged to undertake 28 hours of activity during the month, which once completed enabled them to access exclusive discounts from top Merino wool performance wear brands.

These included Aclima, ashmei, FUTURUM, Isadore, Minus33, Tracksmith and Unbound Merino, thereby encouraging consumers to purchase and exercise in Merino wool products.

Australian Wool Innovation chief executive Stuart McCullough said the Move in Merino Challenge on Strava encouraged people to get out-of-doors, breathe in the fresh air and exercise in Merino wool.

“By connecting directly with individual users, the initiative aimed to increase awareness of the benefits of our country’s premium natural fibre and drive sales for our brand partners,” he said.

“From running and cycling to walking and hiking, outdoor exercise has perks for the body, mind and soul.

“Wearing Merino wool whilst you exercise means you are choosing a product that is 100 per cent natural, renewable and biodegradable.

“It’s the best decision for you and the environment.”

The Woolmark Company also has The Woolmark Company Club on Strava, providing a platform for active-minded consumers to come together to find out the latest Merino performance offerings.