Surprised at the low odour and quick drying qualities of the Merino wool shirt, he more carefully considered the clothing in his wardrobe. Jock remembered thinking, “Why am I going to work every day in this sweaty, smelly shirt when we have this fibre available to us.” He likened a quality Australian Merino garment to tequila. “In Australia, tequila is cheap and makes you vomit. Then you try the good stuff from Mexico or the US and it’s smooth – wool clothing is the same. Once you try quality Australian Merino wool, there is no comparison.” Jock researched the idea of manufacturing his own Merino wool clothing but found challenges in the Australian market. “Everything available in Australia was really only in suiting or luxury wear,” he said. “There was nothing in the activewear space or anything suitable to wear to work five days a week.” His vision for this concept was different, with practicality and function at the forefront of his mind for everyday wear. Requiring more investment than Jock could commit to at the time, the idea was parked. In 2018, Jock moved to Texas, where he planned to spend a year playing rugby, travelling and eventually returning home to the family property at Boorowa. Two years later, Jock was still in Texas when his idea for manufacturing clothing resurfaced. He said the United States consumed less wool than most other developed countries and there certainly weren’t many labels selling premium Australian Merino clothing direct to American men, presenting a gap in the market. “By 2020, I was in a position where I had a bit of disposable income to put into it,” he said. Though Jock had extensive knowledge of how to produce quality Merino wool, he admitted he didn’t know the first thing about the process of making clothing. “I actually Googled how to start a clothing brand,” he laughed. With little experience but a few well-placed contacts, Jock reached out to the Woolmark Company, which provided guidance on where to start. After being pointed in the direction of manufacturers who could help him start on a small scale, Jock set about perfecting a single polo shirt. The process was lengthy, involving countless emails and spreadsheets. – 25 –
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