Why Nooan?

Why is Possum fiber is so warm?! 

This is because possum fiber has an unique hollow structure which acts as an insulator.  This structure is very rare and only Polar bear fur has a similar fiber structure. 

Based on independent studies by Centro Tessile Contoniero e Abbigliamento S.p.A. and the University of Otago, possum fibre is 50% warmer than merino wool and 35% warmer than cashmere!

While we are here, it is good to mention that Brush tailed possums are originally from Australia, and they are protected there.  The only reason New Zealand offers possum products is because they were wrongly introduced into New Zealand and become a pest, harming the native forests and eco system.  All possum fiber nooan uses comes from the pest control program of New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC).  They are not farmed animals and 100% eco-fur.

Nature has the best solutions!

Can socks be warm in the cold and cool in the heat, able to resist odour, lightweight, soft, non-itchy and non-clammy?!

Merino sheep which roam the harsh climate of the New Zealand Highlands, and Possums which have met the dinosaurs and been through dramatic climate change; have the answers.

After millions of years of evolution Wool and possum fiber are designed to protect mammals’ skin.  They have a very complicated structure to do so (as shown in the picture below). This gives them outstanding performance in terms of:

• Temperature regulation, means warm in winter and cool in summer;
• Humidity control; this is why wool and possum yarn can reduce symptoms of eczema;
• Odour control

Both synthetic fabrics and cotton are just not designed to provide these benefits to your skin.  After years of effort to mimic these functionalities, synthetic fabrics and cotton still significantly underperform, based on independent research by Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Queensland Institute of Dermatology.

Natural materials are not only good for the environment but good for our skin and wellbeing. 

Why nooan socks are so SOFT to touch and don’t have the prickly feeling like most of the wool and possum products? 

This is because we only us 15 micron super fine merino wool and remove the guard-hair from our possum down. 

Merino wool has 4 different grades which have very different price value.

• SUPER FINE: BELOW 17.5 MICRON FIBRE

These are very fine wool fibres that are silky soft, making them perfect for next-to-skin clothing and suiting.

• FINE: 17.5-25 MICRON FIBRE

This wool is still very soft, yet slightly stronger and more durable, and is used in activewear clothing and classic fashion.

• MID-MICRON: 25-35 MICRON FIBRE

This type of wool is used for upholstery and heavy outer clothing layers like jackets. 

• STRONG: 35+ MICRON

This robust wool is snug yet durable enough to be made into luxurious and comfortable, hard-wearing carpets.

Nooan only uses the super fine ones among the Super Fine grade. 

Furthermore, possum fur has both super fine fibres and strong pointy ones.  Special technology is applied to remove ALL pointy fiber to produce possum down which are only 1 micron at the tip.  To make a comparison, human hair is about 70 micron!

The benefit of using super fine fiber is not just about feeling soft, it also protects your feet when hiking and exercising.  A customer wrote to us once:

“I did a 90km hike last week and honestly your socks saved my life! I think it’s the first long hike I’ve ever done where I didn’t get Blisters.  So ideal!!”

Why can nooan socks be machine washed and tumble dried?!

Common sense is that wool is very delicate and will shrink, forming a mat and won’t expand to the original size anymore.  This is caused by the fact the cuticles of the wool fiber will inter-lock and tangle with each other.

The wool which we are using is specially treated to soften the cuticles, hence, they don’t inter-lock.  The blend with possum down also reduces the tangling.  This is why nooan socks can be machine washed and tumble dried.  It will shrink a bit after tumble drying, but will stretch back to original size when worn.

What is better than socks that are not FUSSY?!