Sustainable apparel brand Kora is making its introduction to the United States, bringing with it ‘the most advanced and performance-driven baselayer apparel ever made.’
The brainchild of founder Michael Kleinwort, Kora was founded in 2013 with a dual mission: to create the world’s best technical apparel using yak wool, while also supporting economic stability and environmental protection in the Himalayas by generating a reliable income for the yak herders who supply the wool.
Founder Michael Kleinwort said, “Having evolved over thousands of years to protect these animals in the extreme conditions of the Himalayas, yak wool is an incredibly advanced material”.
He continued, “Between the high performing properties of the wool and the opportunity to support economic development in the nomadic, herding communities, the birth of Kora is a tremendous new offering in the outdoor community.”
The company cites extensive laboratory and field testing to show that Kora garments, using the company’s proprietary Hima-Layer fabric, are not only breathable, soft, warm, light, with excellent wicking and natural anti-bacterial qualities, but also ‘outperform merino wool, the most commonly used natural fabric in performance garments.’
A study commissioned from Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Sport & Exercise Science compared the yak wool base layer against merino and polyester base layers. The study reportedly found that when running in cold weather, a Kora base layer maintains core temperature better than merino or polyester garments.
An independent laboratory test of Hima-Layer alongside equivalent leading merino wool fabrics also offered positive results: Hima-Layer is reportedly 40% warmer, has 66% greater air permeability and 17% greater water vapour permeability than merino wool fabrics.
According to Kora, the difference is down to environment. While merino sheep graze at around 1,000 metres, yaks live at 4,000m to 5,000m and have evolved to survive the extreme cold at that altitude.
Like merino wool, yak wool is fine – as small as 17 microns – making Hima-Layer comfortable while also being highly resistant to odour and granting warmth and breathability.
Yak wool is collected in a humane manner. Kora adds that the wool isn’t even sheared from the yak, but instead is plucked from the yaks during molting season and collected during the molt. Kora sources wool from a network of local agents and also buys directly from the Kegawa Herders’ Cooperative, a group of 80 herder families, at a premium over the market price – thus helping to provide income for these communities.
Kora notes that the humane, community-based harvesting methods are low-impact on both the yaks and the environment, and the collaborative work between Kora and the Kegawa Herders’ Cooperative, creates a sustainable economic model for one of the most challenged economies in the world.
The process from raw wool to final product is a long one, and difficult, but allows Kora to maintain direct relationships with suppliers and continually check product quality, continue research and development to fine-tune performance, and ensure all products are made under ethical, environmentally sound conditions.
The brand, which is based in London and in Hong Kong, where Kleinwort lives, kicked off in the UK in mid-2013 and has built a following since then.
Currently, the US line, which is available only online, includes:
- ShoLa 230 Zip – US$162
- ShoLa 230 Leggings – US$147
- ShoLa 230 Crew – US$147
- Women’s ShoLa 230 Zip – US$162
- Women’s ShoLa 230 Leggings – US$147
- Women’s ShoLa 230 Crew – US$147
Kora will be unveiling new additions to its autumn/fall 2015 collection in late August.
