It seems to be the week for start-ups here in Australia and New Zealand, and we’re certainly keen to push the little guys based in this part of the world when they’re trying to make it in what is a highly competitive global market. No sooner do we have some coffee in our running shirts earlier in the week, than I get an email talking about some new clothing that contains yak. Interesting , and as they’re after a kick-starter push, I thought it worthwhile to see what these guys are up to. So they’re not strictly making ‘tracky daks’ as we like to call them here in Australia, but the rhyme and analogy was nice 🙂
Peak to Plateau is the maker of this new type of gear with yak fibres in it. Founder, Stephan Warnaar, who’s based in New Zealand, came up with the idea after traveling for three months in Mongolia, Central Asia and the Himalayas, living with local herders and nomads, spending time working with yaks, goats and sheep.
After days of feeling cold and wet in his outdoor clothing, he thought that if the yaks could survive winters down to -40 C, they must have pretty amazing properties that would be perfect to keep people warm in those same conditions.
Inspired by the people living in the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas and their way of life, Stephan set out to develop yak fiber into outdoor clothing that he wanted to outperform anything else on the market.
From Yak to Daks
To make a difference in the outdoor industry and to the yak herders on the Tibetan Plateau, there’s a commitment to quality and performance as well as sustainability. Peak to Plateau don’t buy their fabrics, we make them. They purchase sustainably sourced yak fiber at a fair price, spin it into superfine yarn and knit it into their own unique fabric, before it is crafted into the final product.
By sourcing our fiber from co-operatives on the Tibetan Plateau Stephan and his team can ensure that they get only the best fiber and the yak herders can be guaranteed a fair income for that too. Sustainability, in terms of the environment, society and economy is one of the businesses’ major goals.
The first three products off the production line with this new fabric will be:
The Kailash 1/4 Zip
Kailash 1/4 Zip
Named after the holiest mountain in Tibet, the Kailash is the first item on the list for any adventurer — whether your hiking, skiing, climbing, mountaineering, traveling and more. It features a 1/4 length zip to help you regulate body temperature.
Nomad Crew
Inspired by people always on the move, the Nomad is for adventuring in the mountains, or relaxing after a long day.
Namtso Tee
The Namtso Tee is named after a Tibetan lake. This lightweight, comfortable tee blends Yak and Tencel fibers that keep you warm when it’s cold, and cool when it’s hot.
So why Yak wool?
Much like merino, yak is temperature regulating, breathable and anti-bacterial, but it’s also said to be Yak fiber is up to 40% warmer than merino, not an issue in our summer months of course. The guys also claim that the water vapour permeability of yak is 65% greater than merino means that water and sweat are transported through the fibers and away from your body, keeping you feeling dry. However the proof will be in the pudding when hopefully we get to try one of these beauties.
Peak to Plateau is launching a Kickstarter campaign for these new products on November 14, so we’ll pop a link on when we hear/see more and hopefully post a review.
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I'm a mediocre runner who can bat above his average when I train hard. A man of extremes, I do enjoy everything life offers and consider it an absolute pleasure just to be able to put one foot in front of the other and let my mind wander somewhere different.
