A micron, for those who might be new to the term, refers to the diameter of a single
woollen fibre, and one micron is equal to a thousandth of a millimetre in size. The smaller the micron count, the
finer, more rare and more precious the wool. For context, your good old fashion Huddersfield woven navy serge is
going to measure around 25 microns thick and a human hair, around 40. Loro Piana cuts no corners when it comes to
assessing these fibres, using OFDA (Optical Fibre Diameter Analysis) to ensure that all their figures are accurate -
we might often think of woollen fabric as a comfortingly old fashioned material, but in the hands of master
producers like Loro Piana, it becomes the product of cutting edge scientific endeavour. Indeed, it is this
uncompromising approach that has allowed Loro Piana to become one of the mostrecognisedproducers of rare natural fibres such as cashmere, baby cashmere and vicuña in the world -
as well as the producer of truly superior merino wool fabrics.
The bale of wool produced by Pyrenees Park farm is now destined for a place in the
history books; it will be held within the hallowed halls of Loro Piana, and shall only be released for weaving when
a still finer bale of wool is sourced to displace it from pole position, a search that may take some time. The bale
produced by Miss Emmerson, this year's runner up, together with the bale of the 2012 winner - whose joint 10.6
micronages are a fortuitous match made in heaven - will now go into production together to create the latest release
of Loro Piana's extraordinary 'Record Bale' superfine worsted suitings; fabrics so rare, precious and lustrous to
the touch that one might be forgiven for thinking that they are wearing clothes made from the purest silk
satin.
Furthermore, the collection features a wealth of exclusive designs for a truly unique garment and each fabric is
finished with a special selvedge that documents the years of dedication, love and labour that goes into every single
length of finished cloth. Once woven, this particular selection of materials are going to be transformed into a
particularly luxurious range of bespoke Loro Piana garments, which will be available next year. Only around 40 suits
can be cut worldwide from the 150 metre length of cloth that is the end result of the record bale competition, and
interested parties be warned, you won't be able to find the fabric just anywhere - it will be available only in a
carefully curated selection of Loro Piana boutiques and world-leading bespoke tailors.
To have produced a bale that measures so finely, and from it fabric that feels so refined, is an astonishing
achievement and credit must go to Loro Piana for facilitating the production of such exquisite raw material in the
first place. The company's commitment to the wool industry is remarkable, and Loro Piana Group's Deputy Chairman,
Pier Luigi Loro Piana, couldn't be clearer on the subject; 'this award celebrates the professionalism, the skills
and the passion so typical of these farms and of all the parties involved. Thanks to constant mutual efforts, the
wool industry can benefit from higher quality standards and fineness of materials, which was unconceivable over 15
years ago.' That is no exaggeration, because thanks to the Record Bale contest, in just eighteen years the fineness
of the winning woollen fibres has increased by almost 30%. Furthermore, Loro Piana's commitment to the Record Bale
competition has also allowed for the company to develop its superb 'Gift of Kings' collection; a selection of unique
ready-to-wear garments made exclusively from the finest 12-micron merino wool. Truly for the connoisseur, this
collection takes its name from the eighteenth century tradition whereby European monarchs would make diplomatic
gifts of pairs of merino sheep - so prized were they even back then for their precious fleeces.
Not only do achievements like the Record Bale or Gift of Kings collection testify to the commitment that companies
like Loro Piana make to their suppliers, they also attest to the unswerving dedication that the best wool producers
make to their livelihood - elevating the process of wool production beyond that of a mass-market enterprise, to a
truly noble endeavour that more or less underpins the luxury fashion industry. This sentiment is mirrored by another
great champion of fine Merino wool, The Woolmark Company, who have partnered with Loro Piana repeatedly since 2011
on their Record Bale projects, as the organisation's Managing Director, Stuart McCullough, notes: 'Pamela and Robert
Sandlant won the award last year and we congratulate them once more on their extraordinary achievement this year.'
Extraordinary indeed.
One can only imagine the quality of fabric that the Sandlant's 10.3 micron bale of wool will produce when Loro Piana
finally deems the time right to take it on the next step of its journey to the woollen mill. One suspects it will be
rather special. In the film below, we follow the current collection of Record Bale cloths in production, a journey
that serves only to reinforce how special they are, and how remarkable Loro Piana's focus on quality and integrity
is. We hope that readers enjoy.
