Our Products & Materials
Where does your superfine Merino wool originate?
Our journey begins in Tasmania's pristine landscapes, where we source our exclusive superfine Merino wool from a single farm dedicated to environmental stewardship. This exceptional location—with its pristine air quality and balanced ecosystem—yields wool of remarkable fineness and quality. The farm upholds rigorous standards of land management and animal welfare, ensuring that each fibre reflects our commitment to both luxury and sustainability. This careful stewardship of the land produces a wool that is not just superior in quality, but embodies our ethos of absolute sustainability.
Why is Tasmanian wool superior for luxury knitwear?
The unique combination of pristine environment, sustainable farming practices, and carefully selected breeds results in superfine wool with extraordinary properties. Our Merino fibres measure less than 18.5 microns in diameter—finer than most human hair—creating garments of unparalleled softness and comfort. This exceptional fineness, combined with wool's natural temperature regulation and moisture management, delivers a sensory experience that mass-market wool simply cannot match.
Is your Merino wool comfortable against the skin?
Unlike conventional wool that many find irritating, our exclusive superfine Tasmanian Merino creates a remarkably different sensory experience. The extraordinary fineness of the fibres (under 18.5 microns) ensures they bend upon contact with skin rather than creating the prickly sensation associated with coarser wools. Most first-time wearers of our garments don't comment on comfort—they simply smile. The comfort of our next-to-skin knitwear must be experienced to be truly understood.
Where are your garments crafted?
Each Wide Open World garment is meticulously created in Italy, a country with an unrivalled heritage in luxury knitwear production. We partner with a state-of-the-art facility specialising in high-end manufacturing, where skilled artisans transform our premium fibres into exquisite knitwear. Not satisfied with traditional excellence alone, we continuously challenge our partners to innovate and elevate their craft. Our manufacturing facility demonstrates parallel environmental values—powered by solar energy and employing closed-cycle washing technology to minimise its ecological footprint.
How do I find my perfect size?
Each product page features a detailed size guide with specific measurements to help you find your ideal fit. Our knitwear is designed with a contemporary silhouette that balances elegance with comfort. For personalised sizing guidance, our care team is available at [care@wideopenworld.co](mailto:care@wideopenworld.co) to ensure your selection perfectly complements your preferences and physique.
Care & Longevity
How should I care for my Merino wool garments?
Our garments are engineered for remarkable longevity with minimal maintenance. Machine washing is not only permissible but recommended, provided your machine has a wool setting operating below 30°C with a gentle spin under 300 RPM. This controlled process preserves the integrity of the fibres better than hand washing, which can create inconsistent temperatures and unnecessary friction. For those who prefer hand washing, gentle soaking according to our care instructions works equally well. After washing, reshape while damp and dry flat away from direct heat. To maintain that pristine finish, lightly iron inside-out on a low setting when necessary. Instructions can be found in the printed document in the postal boxes and on our Care guide page.
How often should I wash my Wide Open World knitwear?
One of Merino wool's most remarkable qualities is its self-cleaning ability, significantly reducing the need for washing. Through extensive testing, we've found that washing just three times per year is sufficient for maintaining garments in optimal condition. Merino wool's natural antibacterial properties and superior moisture management make it exceptionally resistant to odours. When you notice any scent developing, particularly in areas worn next to skin, simply air your garment outdoors for a few hours. This natural refreshing process eliminates odours without washing.
How long will my Wide Open World garment last?
When cared for properly, your Wide Open World knitwear is designed to be a lasting presence in your wardrobe. The combination of extraordinary fibre quality, innovative knitting techniques, and meticulous construction creates garments that maintain their shape, softness, and appearance through years of regular wear. Our customers have reported their Wide Open World pieces becoming more cherished over time, developing a personal character while maintaining their elegant aesthetic. This longevity reflects our commitment to sustainability—creating fewer, better garments that transcend seasons and trends.
Sustainability Philosophy
What does "absolute sustainability" mean at Wide Open World?
Absolute sustainability represents sustainability in its truest form. We've added "absolute" to distinguish our approach from the industry's common misconception that merely reducing environmental impact constitutes sustainability. True sustainability isn't about doing less harm—it's about operating within the Earth's ecological boundaries.
At Wide Open World, absolute sustainability means preserving ecosystem integrity by maintaining natural habitats and preventing environmental degradation. It means managing water consumption to support the health of freshwater ecosystems. It means avoiding chemical accumulation in the environment and contributing to climate stability. And above all, it means protecting land from mindless economic expansion. Our wise actions will leave a positive legacy spanning many generations.
Rather than focusing solely on reducing impacts, our approach begins by respecting nature's inherent limits. Following the APres sustainable business model, we collaborate with nonprofit organisations to manage ecological assets in the regions we operate, allowing ecological constraints to guide our business model. This philosophy ensures we contribute to maintaining the natural equilibrium upon which all life depends.
Why source wool from Tasmania rather than locally?
There's a common misconception that local sourcing is always more sustainable, particularly regarding carbon emissions. However, sustainability requires a holistic perspective beyond simple distance calculations.
Our Tasmanian Merino wool is transported via container ship, which, while still utilising fossil fuels, produces approximately 50 times less CO₂ than air freight. This shipping adds about 0.5kg CO₂e per jumper—less than 4% of the garment's total emissions and equivalent to two washing machine cycles. Considering our knitwear requires washing only three times annually, this transportation impact becomes negligible in a truly sustainable wardrobe. CO₂ from fossil fuels matters, no matter how small the quantity. However it needs to be evaluated holistically, in the face of the aggregate thrust of national emissions, and pragmatically with available data. A more pressing issue for industry is to reduce air freight. Most e-commerce deliveries over long-distances are realised by air which is a bigger concern. As we grow, we would like to be able to find alternative ways to reach our customers.
More importantly, our sourcing decision considers the entire ecosystem impact as well as the quality of the fibres we source. The Tasmanian farm we partner with maintains exceptional environmental stewardship practices, preserving biodiversity and natural habitats in ways that aren't always possible in more densely populated regions. Our partnership with the Tasmanian Land Conservancy further helps protect land, on perpetuity, and in the same region. This holistic approach to sustainability—considering not just carbon but land management, forests, biodiversity, and water usage —guides our sourcing decisions.
How does Wide Open World practice transparency?
In an industry often shrouded in ambiguity and greenwashing, we believe radical transparency is essential for building trust and driving genuine change. Our name—Wide Open World—reflects this core value.
We invite customers, competitors, and critics alike to examine every aspect of our operation. From our farm partnerships in Tasmania to our manufacturing processes in Italy, we document and share the complete journey of our garments. This transparency extends to our sustainability metrics, which we measure against scientific carrying capacities rather than industry schemes that fall short of driving the systemic change that is required to transform our economy.
Through detailed product journeys, behind-the-scenes content, and open conversations about both our achievements and ongoing challenges, we establish accountability not just for ourselves but for the industry at large. This transparency isn't simply about building consumer trust—it's about creating a blueprint for absolute sustainability that others can learn from and improve upon.
