Merino wool has been put to the test through the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team uniform, designed and developed for the 36th America’s Cup. The uniforms herald the emergence of a new breed of natural performance sailing wear.
Merino wool sailing kit
These extreme weather wear garments utilise the fibre Merino wool to enhance performance and reduce environmental impact. Wool’s natural properties such as superb breathability, the ability to wick away moisture and superior thermoregulation make the natural fibre ideal for professional sailing.
You can now own the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Official Sailing Team Uniform. The high-performance garments will be available from November 22nd at selected Prada flagship stores, on Prada.com and, from December 17th, at the Luna Rossa store at the America’s Cup Village in Auckland.
Tested by the best
The testing and development of the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli uniforms started very early in the campaign to ensure that the team could design, test and develop pieces that allow them to perform at their best.
"We tested the garments on support tenders in rough conditions at 50kts, by fire-hosing someone for 30 minutes to test waterproofing and sitting in the prepreg container freezer to compare thermal capabilities. Our Merino wool garments passed these tests and more."
The Woolmark-certified uniforms, which the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team and crew will wear during regattas, events and official activities, include a waterproof jacket, a soft-shell jacket, a polo shirt, a wet jacket, a blouson, a T-shirt and a wetsuit and base-layers, are all made from Merino wool.
Working out in wool
For the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli sailors, the daily grind feels a little different thanks to Merino wool. While quarantining in Auckland, the team stayed match fit by working out in their Merino wool kit. Burpees have never looked (and felt) so good.
How Merino wool and Luna Rossa protect the ocean
In a bid to protect the health of the world’s ocean, the Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli team has swapped its team uniform from one made with synthetic fibres to a more technical, eco-friendly kit incorporating Merino wool.
Unlike synthetic fibres, Merino wool does not contribute to microplastic pollution, with wool fibres 100% biodegradable in both land and marine environments.
“Choosing a fibre like wool, that is both natural and biodegradable, is closely tied to our goal of minimising ocean pollution, an issue to which our team is very sensitive,” says skipper Max Sirena.
The Luna Rossa team
The Luna Rossa team is the most respected team in the America’s Cup fraternity. It is the only team in the history of America’s Cup to have challenged six times. An extremely competitive and well renowned team, Luna Rossa was the winner of the Challengers’ Selection Series in 2000, was a finalist three times out of four challenges and includes some of the world’s highest talented sailors and designers.
THE LUNA ROSSA PRADA CREW
History of the America’s Cup
