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Those sharp Ralph Lauren blazers that the nearly 600 Team USA athletes were wearing got a real field test during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as it poured while their boat traveled the Seine in late July. But being crafted of Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified wool, facing the elements is in the material’s nature.
The merino sheep providing the wool are part of the Shaniko Wool Company of Maupin, Ore. They graze in the Western United States. The company follows regenerative land practices to preserve the environment and its biodiversity. In some cases, the company even leaves the land better than it found it. When grazing in federal forests, the sheep assist in reducing potential wildfire fuel by eating scrub and overgrown areas. The wool itself is a carbon sink as well.
The Shaniko Wool Company and its partner ranches also supplied merino wool to Ralph Lauren for the 2014, 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics Team USA uniforms. The historic ranch was established in 1871 as Imperial Stock Ranch, and part of its mission has been to scale the supply of traceable certified wool to the U.S. textile market since the company became RWS certified in 2017.
Other clothing in Ralph Lauren’s Team USA collection also had thoughtful consideration as to where the use of virgin materials could be decreased, such as in 100% recycled cotton polo shirts that use Natural Fiber Welding CLARUS® technology