Mercy/co

A cooler cotton take on a sweatshirt fleece, optimized for structure and breathability. 100% cotton, knit in Italy in a classic terryback fleece structure. At ~350gsm this is very much a midweight sweatshirt fabric, with one crucial point of distinction, mercerization.

Mercerization is one of the first performance fiber techniques of the industrial age. Invented in 1844 by John Mercer, it uses sodium hydroxide to burn the stray fuzziness off of the cotton yarns, leaving a smoother surface. It is quite common at the yarn level, especially for shirting fabrics, but the Mercy/co applies it to knit fabric, and at the fabric level, after knitting but before dyeing.

A smoother cotton means more airflow and less insulation, and it also slows down moisture absorption. All three of these combine to make a cooler and less clammy cotton, without sacrificing any of the structure that makes heavier sweatshirt fleeces feel so protective and comforting.